As promised, here are some progress photos of the redeaux of the House of Pudlin.

Here is the Adirondack chair and ottoman, after the application of the special wax finish. As you can see, the finish really brings out the beauty of the wood. In the background you can see the unfinished bench.

AND here is the "before" kitchen.

This is the After kitchen in progress. Say ooooooooooohhhhhhhh!!!!!! !!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! !

The base cabinets are in. The wall cabinets are mostly in. I can see the "footprint" of the new kitchen. I was planning to tile the countertops. Then I found a photograph of MY cabinets and MY sink in a kitchen that looks exactly like what I want - but with oak planking for the counters. So that is what it shall be.

The first piece of teak furniture has been tack clothed and finished with the preservative. Oh MY is it ever gawdjus! Just simply GAWDJUS!

I am off to canvass the neighborhood for Moveon.org. Remember, vote early and vote often. Especially if you are in Florida. Or not.

The electrician is gone for the day and I got my first view of the new cabinets. GORGEOUS! The kitchen magician guys are busy filling holes with Great Stuff and putting plywood in the holes in the floor. Soon they will begin hauling cabinets INTO the house.

MY job now is to set up the countertop install. I plan to use simple white tile. Probably the 4" squares or maybe the inch squares.

The pool is filled and there is muratic acid in it. The filter is running.

The guy from the sprinkler company came by to see about the sprinkler system. Once that is in, in goes the landscaping and the outdoor lighting. By that time, the kitchen will be finished and so will the yard. Then I will tear up the bathroom and my bedroom. Then refinish the floors. Then redo my office and the guest room. By that time, it will likely be time for Bungalow Fest 2005 and I will be in the tour.

The results are in. Envelope please. The GRAND PRIZE winner and recipient of one MILLION TBUCKS (that are worth absolutely less than nothing) of the "What shall the first menu in the new kitchen of the House of Pudlin Be" contest is hands down - our own Andaloo. His entry, brilliantly written, carefully executed and garnished ever so well, follows:

 Here in Spain we eat a lot of “tapas”, small portions of food taken with a drink. Each tapa is different to the last, and the good thing about eating this way is that they are mostly prepared early (you can do anything in fifteen minutes), leaving the host free to show off their new kitchen. Remember to serve wine at room temperature.

Poodle Strudel: Care should be taken when removing your strudel from the oven, it could SINK like the proverbial SUEfflé.

Paella Andaluz: (PELLA Andaloo): Served in crystal clear GLASSes.

Southern Style Spicy Chicken: BETTA when served FLARING.

Lake Michigan Soup: A MAUI Zoui of a soup which will SAIL through your system like an YPSI Zinger.

Chancy Nancy: A NoURiShING blend of CAREfully selected ingredients served on a BED of lettuce.

Auntbadushi Sushi: A medley of flavours – karaoke for the taste buds.

Meat Pie Floater: There’s a TORRYfic twist to this all time favourite, rather than the traditional peas this pie floats on JELLY BEANS.

Sweet Mimi: A HUNEY based sauce, a good sister dish to Poodle Strudel.

(All the above are best enjoyed with lashings of BOOze)

So there you have it. First runner up goes to Mimi for her thoughtfully presented menu of a romantic dinner au deux. She will receive her prize of 100 tbucks in cash this weekend. I would give her more, but it would smack of nepotism.

The three Pella windows are in. Now I must paint them on the inside. They are WAY cool. They tilt for cleaning so no longer must I haul out the 16 foot ladder to wash windows.

The pool is repaired and resurfaced. It is filling again as we speak.

The teak furniture is being delivered tomorrow. The cabinets go in tomorrow. The electricians are busy sawing holes in the ceilings and the plumber is cutting pipes. The poodles are both crated and Chuck gets to be top dog for the day. Chuck is the one I can count on to stay right by my side.....well mostly. This morning when the guys had the drive gate open she wandered out into the alley. Some big ole mean cat chased her and she got scared and started crying. It was a riot. I guess she found out the hard way that kitties have sharp feet.

So all is happening as planned. More or less.

Never try to teach a pig to sing

It is a waste of time and it annoys the pig.

Save me, I am beginning to sound like SatoriSam.

That said, I have a house upside down. The pool is empty waiting for the guys to resurface it. Now, sidebar here: there was a leak that I was unaware of. Had I not resurfaced the pool, had the technician not noted the crack, the dirt, the problem, it would have cost an additional several thousands of dollars in a very short period of time. He saw it, he fixed it, they said "no charge".

The kitchen is a carcass. Bare to the walls with (reminding me of recent hurricanes) no power. I am eating microwaved food from the bar. That is what I mean about enjoying the process. Who else has to "resort" to microwaving food and eating it in their own bar? How bad can it be? I have the coolest house ever. I have the ability and the skills to negotiate with these fine folks to make it even cooler. In the meantime I am "roughing it" by eating in my bar and getting stuff delivered??? What kind of ungrateful wicked wench could I be to complain about this. THIS IS EXCITING! I am getting a kitchen! The one I want. The one I have dreamed about forever. Yes, I would be thrilled to have it bigger. But so what! I am working with what I have been dealt. I am a woman living alone. To have a gourmet kitchen would be fabulous. But it will be fabulous to have my little kitchen in my home. I am taking back my life inch by hard gained inch. That, is the process. Yes, I look forward to the destination. The destination will be that place where tears are not just under the surface. Where I can truly believe that I have come around that corner in my head that goes from "victim" to survivor. Tomorrow is the yartzheit of my beloved. It does not fall on deaf ears that, even though I began all of these improvements in July, they are all falling into place on that date. Yes, I have slammed my calender full to keep from sinking into that black abyss of desperation and depression. Yes, I am stressing and anxiety ridden regarding the trial which looms in the next two weeks. AND most assuredly yes, I am savoring every swing of every hammer and every conversation with the electricians and plumbers as they accomplish the tasks that bring me closer to my vision. This house is a metaphor of my life. I take it back. That which has been taken from me five years ago tomorrow will never be again. But to let them take the rest of it serves nothing but to dishonor him what I loved the most.

Want to see how clean your kitchen REALLY is? Take EVERYTHING out of it. I have done so, to facilitate the installation of the new and improved kitchen. In the past few months, I have been seriously decluttering. I thought that I had pared down the kitchen to the bare essentials. I thought I had cleaned it all. I was so wrong. I found enough grease in there to take care of the next three stock car races. I found enough dust to create a new dust bowl. AND bonus, most of it is greasy dust. My personal favorite.

I made a pot of coffee in the bar and fed the puds out there. They are enjoying "camping out". We shall see how much they "enjoy" being crated while the workmen are here. I plan to take them out in shifts so that they don't get hurt or escape through open gates. They say that they should be done tomorrow. I am thinking that I will have the new kitchen by early next week, since so far, no one has accurately estimated the time for any project.

Here WE GO!

The rest of the new and improved anti mozzie artillery was installed last night. Now at 6:30am and pm and 7:30pm the pyrithrin mist will dispense out of nozzles strategically placed around the perimeter of the compound.

The contents of the kitchen cabinets are on the guest bed and floor. Now doesn't THAT sound odd. Kitchen demolition begins bright and early in the morning.

Henry came over this morning to help clear the path for the electrician. Well, he probably also came over to see me, but then again, maybe it is the dogs that he is enamored of. He helped me with some projects and then we went for pho'. No one seems at all surprised to see us there anymore. Imagine that. The coolest part was that they have a new poster for a Chinese beer called Tiger beer. I looked at it and saw a pretty Asian woman with a tattoo on her shoulder. Just behind me, Henry said "there is danger in beauty". I asked what brought that up. It was the Chinese characters on the poster. I had not even noticed them.

Greetings and salutations to blog land. I have returned after a brief haitus brought about by extreme overscheduling of projects and the resultant exhaustion.

Yesterday began with the guys from A - Niks beginning the installation of the automatic mosquito control system. I began a landscaping adventure. Our local technical school has a horticulture program. They are open to the public for the sale of plants that are grown by the students. The cost is nominal and mucho lower than Home Depot. So I loaded up the P(oodle) T(ransport) Cruiser with an assortment of plants suitable for a butterfly garden. All are colorful and flowering. Therefore, it would be really bad karma to put them in the back yard. Not nice to plant things to attract bugs and then zap them for their effort. So all the plantings in the back yard (the "compound") from here forward, will be colorful, but foliage only. The plan for the compound is crotons, ferns, and giant split leaf philodendron with a Christmas palm tossed in to block the view of the neighbor's satellite dish.

But back to the front - so to speak. I supplemented a sad bed that had three puny Snow on the Mountain bushes. I call them bushes, but there is nothing "bushy" about them. Think A Charlie Brown Christmas and that tree of his. There. You have the visual. So I added a ton of plants and mulch and voila' - instant beauty in a previously barren spot.

Speaking of bushy, the puds were looking like Bouvier de Flanders so off to the groomers they went. They came home looking like standard poodles and are sporting festive halloween bandanas. Colin keeps scaring Lacy with his by running up beside her and saying LOOK! Boo!

When I left to pick them up, Chef Steph was left in charge in the compound to supervise the guys and I was expecting the radiant heat barrier installation guy any minute. I came back to find him in my driveway unrolling radient heat barrier. But better yet, I found Henry on my couch reading. So the attic guy was in the attic installing big sheets of aluminum foil in my leaky and very hot attic. The temperature in there on Thursday was 114 degrees F. This barrier is the equivelent of installing nine inches of insulation. Now, since the A/C unit is in the attic, one can only imagine how hard it must have to work to keep itself cool and to send cool air through the duct work. The way that this cottage is constructed puts the attic wrapped around my closet. In other words, my closet is normally a balmy 98 degrees on a good day. By the time he was finished with the install, the attic temp had already dropped to 80 degrees. It cost $389.00 and I do believe I may see that returned in a very short time in the savings of electricity. http://www.energyhomeshield.com" title="http://www.energyhomeshield.com" target="_blank"http://www.energyhomeshield.c... See the USF study for details.

So while he was installing that, the mozzie guys were busy cutting my phone line with a shovel and we were watching a movie in parts and pieces. At one point Heni said, "my dear, you are wanted front and back". YIKES! Finally, they all wrapped it up for the day. I ventured into the attic for a look. Imagine what the world might look like to a turkey in a roaster about to enter the oven. That is the attic. All silver and shiny and cool....

The plan earlier in the week had been to have guests for dinner. Boy am I glad that did not pan out. I was exhausted. Heni brought the ingredients for dinner. Told me to go take a bath and relax. Then true to his word, he whipped up a lovely dinner. The man may turn me into a fish lover yet. Simple haddock, asparagus, some noodles and veggies. Of course, garnished with an onion flower. Followed by mini eclairs and snuggling on the couch.... fade to black....

So, as I am having the kitchen gutted and replaced next week, it seems that there should be a very special innaugural meal prepared in the new kitchen for the first time.

The contest is simple: come up with a menu that would be appropriate for a brand new kitchen. I am a reasonably good cook so bear that in mind. I really don't want to whip up something that takes a half a year's salary, but it doesn't have to be cheese sandwiches either. If you wish, supply the recipes. The winner will receive one MILLION tbucks to spend as you wish. Now - be aware that I do not eat pork or shellfish. So please understand that in order to qualify, the menu must contain none of these foodstuffs. I am sure that many people enjoy them. I am not cooking them in my kitchen. Enuff said.

Send your entries (more than one if you wish) in tmail and I will go over them with Henry. We will try to be objective and we will announce the winner next Friday.

Sunday we went to the Ca' d'Zan Mansion. Or if you prefer, the House of John. As in John Ringling of circus fame. The mansion was decorated and building supervised by Mable Ringling. They only got to spend three winters there before Mable died.

We had a wonderful time and took lots of photos for the scrapbook. Which reminds me, need to go pick those up! The mansion is beautiful, but way over the top ornate and pretentious. But certainly worth the trip if you are ever in Sarasota.

So - here I am in the middle of October already. Everything is falling into place and is about to explode.

Friday is the date for the installation of the new anti bug technology. http://www.8779nobite.com" title="http://www.8779nobite.com" target="_blank"http://www.8779nobite.com is an automatic mosquito control system. Now, the mosquito is the state bird of Florida. This system will eliminate them and their pesky pals the flea and the tick. It will consist of a system of nozzles mounted on the fence and under the eaves around the perimeter. The timer will send the message that it is time to pop a dose of pyrithrin mist into the air. Note - pyrithrins are naturally occurring substances found in Chrysanthemums.

The kitchen installation is scheduled to begin THIS MONDAY! The coordination of the electrician, installers and plumber is set. I meet with electrician and plumber later today. It will probably take about a week in total.

The windows are slated for Tuesday. That will be an all day project for the three windows on the West side of the house.

Today I spent some time talking to registered Democrats who vote intermitantly. I am involved in a group called MoveOn.Org. The origins of MoveOn.Org were during the Clinton administration- as in Lewinski - ok, that was bad, now - CAN WE MOVE ON???

Other portions of my day were spent running around to the dog food store, and to obtain my daughter's favorite beverage, and going to some obscure place to choose pavers. But that was LATE afternoon. My morning consisted of being sure that there was substantial room for the delivery of my new KITCHEN CABINETS! Now - I find deplorable those who brag about stuff. To bring you up to speed, the new kitchen cabinets will replace cabinets that are ready to fall to the ground from water rot. The current innefficient kitchen has been in place for 20+ years. The new kitchen will be reasonable, same footprint, more or less.... Same appliances except the new microwave.

So - morning was a cacophany of activity of preparation. Heni had assisted in a big big way to clear out the garage. Today, I hauled the Hobie Mirage to the yard and piled stuff up in the edges. Kraftmaid delivered. Home Depot was notified. While they were scanning bar codes and piling stuff, I was planting a butterfly garden of sorts. After all was said and done, I went to choose paver design and color.

Yes, I am dumping money into my home. No, I never intend to sell it. Yes, I am all jazzed about the improvements. Guess what. I would happily give back every dime for five more minutes with my darling husband.

Oh how I love to throw a party! Each time I do, I learn something. It might be a better way to serve something or it might be relevent to the mix of the personalities on the guest list, but I always have something to consider the next day. Over the years of entertaining, I have developed some tips that work for me. I offer them to you here.

1. Where is it written that each dish must be painstakingly prepared by the host? Isn't it nicer to focus on other details and one or two major dishes and fill in with really great stuff from a really great deli or grocery? It is my good fortune to be very close to Mazzaro's, a fabulous Italian grocery/deli. I also have access to a fabulous open market on Saturday mornings where fresh veggies are available. So I buy interesting side dishes to round out my menu. I also pick up dessert. The key is taking the stuff out of the plastic or foam container and prettying it up on a platter - and garnishing. If guests ask for the recipe, I am completely candid about it's source. Using this theory, I can concentrate on grilling and my guests. Sometimes grilling my guests....Well, you know.....

2. One of the things that I like to do is use good service for outdoor events. Why would I go to all the trouble to prepare a nice piece of meat on the grill and then put it on paper or worse, styrofoam? Horrible to try to eat anything from, beyond a hot dog. Even a hot dog deserves better service than that. So I pull out all the platters and bowls and go to town with romaine lettuce underskirts for it all. This is also a brilliant opportunity to use all of the little vintage tablecloths that I have stashed over the years. I layer them on the buffet and all over the table. I tossed them on side tables. Then a few candles scattered around and voila' - instant party. It makes it appear to my guests that I took some time and care. I do take the time. I do care.

3. I got this tip from Thom of the fab five on a Pier One brochure. It made me realize that I already did this one, but it is worthy of mentioning. That is: for parties, have plenty of food but be sure that it is things that you enjoy so that you can eat the leftovers.

So take a few interesting side dishes, add a grill and some chicken, heap some fruit in a pile on a nice tablecloth puddled onto a picnic table topped with candles and add friends and relatives to taste. Instant successful dinner party! Bon appetit!

This weekend has alternated between periods of extremes in both realms. For starters, I knew that my sister (Mimi) was rapidly approaching zero hour on the appointment to have her aged dog euthanized. With regard to Missy, and/or Mimi, there was not much that I could do. It was what it was. That is, a very difficult decision to be made and a very difficult action to be carried out. I hoped that she would remember and hold dear in her heart that quantitatively, the joy we get in that puppy smell and those first stumbled steps is worth the pain we must endure when we give our loves, our pets, a graceful way out of a body that has failed them and us. Nonetheless, it sucks out loud. It sucks so bad that the pain is palpable for miles around. I flash back to the last time that I had to do it, with Candy. Even when you know it is the right decision, it is a terrible decision to have to make. My heart goes out to Mimi and Missy Black Dog.

And I feel a huge amount of guilt for having such a wonderful weekend as a result. I did have a wonderful weekend (except when I was thinking about Mimi and Missy).

My sister - Mimi - and I have TOO much in common The single most bizarre fact is that coming from the same disfunctional environment, in which we were privvy to how NOT to have a relationship, we both managed to find truly remarkable men to marry. Mimi married Sam. I married Joseph. We were the quintessential married couples. Those types of couples that others who are struggling love to pick holes in. Here is a disclaimer. If your marriage is troubled, and you felt the need to find problems with mine... ..G-d love you. Personally, I was so into mine that I didn't notice you. Neither did my sister. The worst thing we have in common, sister Mimi and I, is that both of our husbands died.... when we were 42. Her Sam died two years before my darling husband. I was there. Her Sam drove me to school for a long time. Her Sam made sure that I was ok when I was very young, very pregnant, and dealing with a home life that was not so idyllic. Her Sam watched over me like another of his children. He was not always happy with my actions, but he always loved me. I love Sam. I always did. I always will.

But I entered into this blog with the title: my sister's gift. To be sure, one of many. My sister kept proclaiming the value of some flylady. I uhhhnnnhaahd it to death. YUup sissy, flylady gooood. Then, one day, I ventured into the flystrip. And I was pissed. I was supremely and sublimely pissed off that my sister the ubercool older sister had somehow discovered FlyLady.net before *I* (the hat wearing, ultra cool, politically active sister) had. How can that BE!!!

Be that as it may. My sister found FlyLady.Net and FlyLady has enhanced my life. I am now proud to report that I daily swish my toilet and make my bed and my sink is shiny. I 27 fling boogie all over the fareakin place and clutter is down to a dull roar in many locations.

FlyLady says you can do anything for 15 minutes at a time. She is right. My sister gave her to me and we can do anything for 15 minutes at a time. Including reclaiming our lives to honor our husbands. I challenge my sister to reclaim her life for 15 minutes to honor Sam. I have done it. Now you - Go!

I am systematically taking back my life. In my previous incarnation, I was a wife and a hostess and good at both. Then tragedy struck and I lost everything with the death of my beloved Joseph, five years ago this month. Subsequently, I have been in a coma, at least I feel like I have been in a coma.

I stopped going outside. I stopped having people over. I was unable to be in the pool, on the deck, in the bar. The bar, affectionatly dubbed "The Blue Note Bar and Grille" was my husband's dream turned reality. He took great pride in concocting very ornate, complicated drinks. Beside the bar was my outdoor kitchen with grill, turkey fryer, and smoker. The place was always hopping and always clean and in good repair. I could not keep up the house, yard, pool, and bar by myself. So it began to erode and things piled up and I couldn't bring myself to go out there for a long long time.

Recently, I began to come out of the coma. At first it really was baby steps. The recent onslaught of hurricanes may have been a catalyst for I felt compelled to put the things in the yard that might become flying missiles into the bar and the bar bathroom. I was in and out of the bar. And in that time, I cried a lot. But the hurricanes didn't care. So when it was over and the stuff sat in there, FlyLady kicked in. First, the zone was the bathroom. The bathroom in the house is already ok. But the bar bath was not. So when I hit the zone - "you can do anything for 15 minutes", suddenly it got cleaned up. That night, I took a shower in there for the first time in five years.

The next week, the zone was the kitchen. Poop. I did the stuff in the house kitchen.... and then hit the bar. The next thing I knew, the bar is in order. But the outdoor kitchen was still a wreck. So I started on the grill. It is easily 15 years old and rusted I priced out replacement parts and it makes no sense. So I bought a new grill. Saturday my pals Paula and Don are going to come meet Henry and swill beer. I will make beer can chicken on my brand new Weber. In my outdoor kitchen, in my bar, in my life. I am taking back my life. I demand it.

The rain during the day served to dampen my enthusiasm and quash my hopes for the evening I had planned. But hope remained. The rain abated in early afternoon. Heni arrived around 4:30 and I was flexible about what we might do or not. I whipped up the chicken fajitas, some yellow rice, salad, and dinner was served. He cracks me up. At one point he asks: "are you sure you are not from Eastern Europe?" Why, I ask.

"You chill red wine and serve it with fish!"

Here is why. Room temp - what red wine is best served at - in Italy, France, heck anywhere but here... is served at room temp - which equates to 70 degrees or less. Room temp in balmy Florida is 87 degrees. More like how you would want scrambled eggs.

But about tonight... I planned an evening of candlelight, firelight, and romance. I got it all. The weather chose to cooperate.after spitting rain for most of the day. We had a lovely dinner. We built a cozy fire in the outdoor firepit. We had those comfortable silences that only people really comfortable can have. I made hot mulled wine. I brought out the ingredients for S'mores. We roasted marshmallows and placed them on chocolate and graham crackers. Yummy. We stared for hours into flames and held hands.... hugged... snuggled.... It was lovely. The scent of burning oak is all about us, in our hair. In the building of that small fire, I somehow managed to build the beginnings of a memory. We can hang on this night for a very long time.

Boo (aka Henry) cracked me UP tonight. He used the term "shithead". Sent me right back to my grandmother Alice's kitchen. Everyone was a shithead to Awee. That was what grampa called her. Awee. As in "Awee, get me a beer!" This from a man who not 45 seconds prior, had his head in the icebox. (We called them iceboxes in them days).

With all of her faults, she was still a remarkable woman. She baked every week. When you were a kid, and a birthday was imminent, she asked what kind of cake you wanted. For me, and my sister (Mimi) it was always angel food with chocolate frosting and silver sprinkles. Mostly because I had not clue one that there was any other option. If the cake de jour was banana yogurt with blueberry jam and sourkraut, I might likely have asked for it. Gratefully it was not. My brother, however, preferred pie. Specifically, blueberry pie. Gramma baked him pies. From scratch. With holes for birthday candles.

When I was a very little girl, my sister and I would be sent to "help" gramma with heavy cleaning. We were happy to do so. We were taught how to clean windows with newspaper and vinegar. Lessons that have stood a lifetime. I learned how to properly dust and polish furniture. Maybe this is why I cherish my old stuff more than the stuff that passes for furniture at "Rooms to Go". In my mind, that translates into "Rooms to Go directly to the Dump".

Perhaps because of the fragmented childhood, the pseudo foster care, and the lapses in family continuity, I cherish the few things that were passed down successfully. For example, my paternal great grandmother's desk and our family bible. Along with a few photographs, and a couple of letters they form the background upon which I have woven our family's history.

So when my dearest Boo inadvertedly parrots my dear departed grandmother, I am dancing in my seat, my face wide with a smile that cannot be depleted. For truth be told, I do believe, and that belief is reinforced by occurrances such as this, that my loved ones live on and influence those that are close to me - to send messages, subtle messages. It is my job then, to get the message.

Gramma, I get the message and I love you. I would like an angel food cake with chocolate frosting and silver sprinkles please. Also, would you tell my brother that I miss him?

No one is more aware of the need to keep romance alive than me. No one is more aware of how close I came to a tragically stoooopid judgment call than me.

Here is what Henry has to look forward to tomorrow (his day off this week)....

1. Chicken fajitas and a nice organic salad of fresh baby greens. I am hoping to serve dinner on the deck.


2. Hot mulled wine served outside, on the deck with the new moon above and his hand held in mine. I have planned a small fire in the outdoor fireplace. Ambience, romance, a few candles, and whispered sweet nothings......


3. S'mores - what could be sexier then molten chocolate and marshmallow fluff?


4. Let your imagination go wild.

As in greeting CARDS.... I love getting them, and I love making and sending them. Yup, handmade greeting cards. In this fast paced world receiving a piece of snail mail to break up the monotony of bills is a breath of fresh air.

I got one recently from my sister. She gets these really cute cards, usually with two little girls doing little girly things like tea parties. Because we will always be those two little girls hanging onto each other for dear life in a confusing world of screwed up adults who made some really bad choices in which we were involved. Now that we are big girls and we have made our own really bad choices, we still hang onto each other. Always will, I spose.

I got one recently from a person with whom I have established a friendship through blogging. This person's postcard was funny in a sort of "you broke up with your boyfriend but let's laugh instead of cry" kind of card.

But better yet, are the calls I get from those to whom I have sent cards. I got two of those calls this week. Leslie for the thank you I sent after she spent most of her day off pressure washing MY deck, and Lisa for the birthday card. Lisa's card WAS pretty cool. I used this fossil theme and wrote "it takes a long time to make an old friend". I got the idea from Club Scrap.

So today I have made THREE cards for THREE people that I care about. They will go into the mail in the morning. Then I get to sit back and wait for the reaction. Hehehe.

1. Quality time spent with Henry. We snuggled, we had pho. We talked and kissed and hugged and all sorts of mushiness.


2. HOME SHOW! The Tropicana Stadium is the home of the HOME SHOW! It goes without saying that there were a bunch of projects that came to mind..... on my list, insulation in the attic to further reduce the electric bill (actually this is called a vapor barrier and is supposed to reduce the heat in the attic by 37 degrees). Mosquito control, outdoor furniture, pavers, landscaping, outdoor lighting design, energy conservation, tub relining and pool resurfacing. The House of Pudlin is undergoing some major renovations. The new fence is up and gorgeous. The windows will be installed soon. The kitchen is on its way. Now the rest of the house will begin to look better and be more energy efficient. Just doing my part to reduce the useage of fossil fuel (VBG).

The day has dawned with me feeling not all that great. Would someone explain to me how I could feel that vague coming down with a cold or flu feeling yet I have not really been in public to be exposed to any virii floating about? Oh wait, maybe when I went to see Ladder 49 with Carol. BTW, I thought it was a wonderful movie. Not a good movie for *me* to see.... but a good movie nonetheless.

But I digress. Now, there are about 600 things on my list of things to do. Boo says "prioritize". Sounds great over beer and pretzels. Here is a partial list:

1. Price and organize the items for the garage sale tomorrow. The neighborhood annual big deal garage sale, I might add. Free advertising and LOTS of shoppers. Since the garage will become the holding area for the new kitchen cabinets on the 19th, this is a priority. As it stands, you can only walk through if you are A) Henry or B) prepared to have sensitive regions smashed between rows of furniture and boxes.


2. Paint the dining area. Chef Richard inspected the trim paint and declared the color good but then stated inequivicably that the door needed a second coat. Raspberries to Chef Richard. Of course he is right, but dang I hate painting trim paint. In the meantime, I cannot rehang the mini blinds so I am living in a fish bowl. Even with the new hugely enormous and blazingly white fence outside that window, I am living in a fish bowl. Also, the curtain on the front door is in the laundry. Another view of my tank. Yesterday I cleaned the Eastlake salon chairs that I bought at auction. Funny, once the dirt was erased with my favorite cleaning product de jour, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, the color was so much nicer. The mud sliding down the drain made it all worthwhile. The knowledge that under the refrigerator is clean, and under the corner cabinets is clean is a strong motivator. While on the subject of cleaning, Heni bought a Scunci steamer. He will let me use it if I want. Now I am racking my brain trying to figure out what I can steam clean. Any suggestions? Maybe I will sterilize the bathrooms. OOOH! I know! Maybe I can steam down the wallpaper in there!


3. I have lost my desk again. This expanse of 8 feet by 4 feet is my baliwick, my hot spot. I lost it last night making a special card for a very special person. And a bonus bookmark because that is just the way it is.


4. Got to go to el banco. I have to. I just have to.


5. There is a home show this weekend. I WANT to go. BUT - will I be able to fit that in? Only time will tell.


6. I have to be here for the pool guy today. The new locks on the new gates are all keyed alike and I need to get him the key. AND chew him out for not doing such a hot job. My pool is looking like a koi pond.


7. Got to get the girl a gift certificate or something. Her birthday is this weekend. Don't have a plan in mind. Very difficult to plan a birthday party, or anything else for that matter, with someone who eats three things only. Don't know whether sister will be in town. Don't have clue one what I am going to get with regard to daughter. She is likely to show up with the kids in tow in the middle of the garage sale and expect that I could have read her mind and figured out a plan. Not going to happen.


8. Henry is working this weekend, off Monday. So plan is for dinner and a romantic outdoor fire with S'mores. Then dessert (vbg).


9. Pumpkin carving 101 - scrapbook page. Want to get the 1st pumpkin carved and served up on a page. Henry said he will take photos.


10. Itching to start a new quilt. Not happening this weekend, though. The plan is to do one for my bed (queen size) using reproduction fabrics from the 30's and 40's.

So there you go. 10 things. Here *I* go. Ten things.

Greetings, fellow Bloggers and Lurkers alike,

Today is a day to paint and clean. There is nothing like painting doors and trim work to point out just how filthy the areas you don't frequent can be. Just behind the refrigerator - that side by side refrigerator that I hate so much? Well, there was enough dog hair to build another dog. AND enough bits of dry dog food to feed it a good meal.

Recently my back door was replaced. It was replaced with another old door. THAT was going to be my project today. But once the door was painted, the area around it got all shabby by comparison. Unfortunately, we are not talkin' "shabby chic". We are talking just plain shabby. Therefore, I have broken out the heavy artillery in the form of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and am going to town in the dining area (too small to call a dining ROOM) and kitchen.

In other news, I may have neglected to mention that Henry - (the person wronged) showed up to take me (the wrongdoer) to dinner Tuesday and brought Asti Spumante and chocolates. Now, I am thinking.... hello? Shouldn't *I* be sending HIM flowers? At the least, cook HIM dinner?

So this break is officially over and I am going to go find my paintbrush again. Monet signing off. Cheers and drop cloths.

There is another diagnosis that is not mentioned in that huge medical mental illness journal. It is this: Multiple Shoe Personality Disorder. I know, because I suffer from it, greatly. My shoe buying and wearing objectives vary almost as much as the weather in Florida. The saying goes "if you don't like the weather in Florida, wait 15 minutes".

You heard it here first. I LOVE Birkenstocks. I have been a Birk girl since I was a girl. Somewhere along the line, I lost count of my Birks. I also love: Cole Haan - oh can you hear me sweet Jeeeezus in my Cole Haan loafers. Believe it or not - Doc Martens! YES! A forty something woman in red ostrich skin Doc Marten BOOTS! Say it isn't so. It IS! With a SKIRT!!!! And then - there is Stuart Weitzman (my personal lust interest) and the coveted Manolo Blahnik (never owned, but lusted after), not to mention Ferragamo! And not to be forgotten xoxox (I call them kisses and hugs. Too cute!)

Now - there are days when I am up to my comfort in Birks. Some days I am up to 5'7 in heels. Both are good places to be. Both are considerably better than being in a place where I was.... where I relied upon what I had and hoped that soon I would be able to get some new ones from something other than Payless. To be sure, where shoes are concerned.... I am one darn lucky girl. Tomorrow I may very well do a 27 fling Boogie on shoes.

A very dear friend (HR) read my blog and was distressed about my recent bout of temporary insanity. This is a guy who was very fond of Joseph and has kept tabs on me for 5 years now. I often think that Joseph gives him messages to pass on to me. So HR and I exchanged a couple of "what are you, nuts?" type emails in which I presented what had happened - leaving out much critical data - por exemplo - that it was entirely my fault and that Henry had no idea that there was anything on my mind other than a really nice vintage hat with an ostrich feather....and a bad hair day. So eventually HR got to the bottom of the situation and then he felt better. AND then he sent me this joke which rather sums up what I did to Henry. So here it is:

A farmer needing to borrow a rake starts down the road to his neighbor a mile away. As he's walking he gets to thinking,

"John's a good guy, he has a couple of rakes and will be more than happy to lend me one.
John's sure a good friend.
I wonder if he may be using all his rakes?
Nah, he wouldn't be needing to use more than one at a time.
Yeah, but suppose he's worried that the one he's using might break.
No, not John. He would lend me the second one knowing I need it.
But, suppose he's reluctant.
Nah, I'm his friend.
Yeah, but just maybe he won't lend it to me.
He might not lend it to me.
What kind of a friend is that?
I would lend him my rake.
You know, I'm thinking he's not going to lend me that rake.
I would lend him my rake, and he won't lend me his, when he has an extra one?
What kind of a creep is John?
He's no friend"

At this point he has reached John's house, and when John opens the door, he yells at him.

"You dammned bastard, you can keep your lousy rake!"

It seems that I picked the right guy. If I were on the receiving end of my angst and confusion, I might have reacted differently. Certainly not as gracefully and with the humor that Henry did. Here is what happened:

1. I go off into my own private Idaho and decide without him casting a vote about what should or should not happen to us.


2. Without a how do you do, I announce to him that we are finished business... based on pure conjecture on my part regarding two issues that may or may not be issues.


3. He is left scratching his head wondering how - in less than 12 hours he has gone from being the best thing since night baseball to being the first thing to be tossed in the next 27 Fling Boogie.


4. Some semblance of sanity returns to me and I am forced to recognize the damage I have wreacked and the havoc in my path. I am grasping for any reasonable excuse for my behaviour and coming up hopelessly empty.


5. I reach a bony claw from the pit of self pity and despair that I dug with my own two three toed hooves and forked tail and pull myself up far enough to grasp a telephone... and call him...


6. The lines of communication were open and he did what only a brilliant man would do. He did nothing until I came to my senses.


7. Little by little, throughout the day, he would offer up a sacrifice - and I did not snatch it off the proffered stick in an instant. So he felt ok.


8. We started talking. Then we talked. Then some more.


9. We are ok again.