Counter! and Story of the Day #1

Hi Friends!

Hey, anyone else still shopping?  I'm running about 3 weeks behind this year.  I'm not worried though, it always works out just as it should.  We were determined to get most of the remodel tools, paints, trims, etc. out of the living and dining room BEFORE we put up the tree and bring out the Santa Collection.  We succeeded...except for one little corner...and I'm ok with that!

One of the delays we faced was the large butcher block counter top from Ikea.  We waited about 5 or 6 weeks for this sucker.   I thought for sure we would be serving Christmas dinner on a piece of plywood.  Last Monday I was visiting with a friend in the dining room and Jeff came flying in the front door  "It's here!!  I called and they will hold it for 2 hours... " he exclaimed on his way to change out of his uniform into real world clothes. My friend left rather abruptly (sorry Susan) and we dashed out the door to our "local" Ikea. Its about 1 1/2 hours away.  Does anyone else feel like a hamster in a habi-trail while trying to find something in that store???  Just give me a wheel.  Anyhow, we finally found the kitchen area and we got the LAST one...yes, the LAST one, and that was because we had it on hold.  I could've kissed the sales lady.  We went in circles dashed over to to checkout and paid for it.  With the receipt stapled to the pick up slip, we headed back in to look at a few other fun things.  About 25 minutes into "browsing", Jeff realized he was no longer holding that paper between his cute little fingers.  His face went white...and the backtracking started.  We can't find our way around while browsing...how in the world will we back track?  It was an adventure.  We stopped, prayed a prayer of desperation to a loving God, and I walked up to a sales lady.  While I explained what happend, a woman standing about 4 feet away says "I just set a piece of paper on top of those clips...over there".  I think she was an angel...because in that sea of a store, it WAS the receipt.  We wouldn't have been able to pick up the counter top without it!  Not wanting to take any more chances, we were outta there licketysplit.

Today Jeff is doing his baking marathon, so its not all pretty and staged for pictures.  But I think I have made you all wait long enough.  After Christmas, and we get the last details finished I will take beauty shots, okay? OK.

Countertop right out of the box. VERY heavy! See the sink on the floor? And the to do list....

Snickerdoodles, Swedish Rye Bread and some vintage tins.

New counter in Laundry room/Pantry.  I refinished a large dresser to hold platters, and table clothes.

We still need to do the the subway tile back splash above the counters.

Laundry side of the laundry/pantry.  Smokey is enjoying his eating station too.

Baking area. This is where the door was into the hallway.  I still need to change the knobs to the pulls. 

He is enjoying the (small) baking center that we created.  Its all organized and perfect for us.  Again, he is baking and I do not want to mess up his laboratory. The kitchen/dining area get sun all day long (as you can see in the glare and on the microwave) and at this time of day (late afternoon) the sun hits the Puget Sound and Olympic mountains in a lovely glow. It's so peaceful.

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Ok, so I am going to start a series, kindof, I guess that's what it would be called.  When I was in High School it seemed I always had some silly story to share.  After awhile my friends started calling it my "Story of the day".  I do love to tell stories.  However, I would not want to bore you to death with a story EVERY day.  But as things happen...as they usually do.... and if its blog appropriate (some of you may have noticed a few posts "missing"...deleted.  Just a little too much information. Or as my husband says "It's YOUR blog, but do you REALLY want to tell everyone about THAT?" Hmmm, maybe, maybe not. My blog, my rules *wink*)

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So to start...THIS is  STORY of the DAY #1

I have spent the past several weeks cleaning out attic space, drawers, closets, etc.  I am on a cleaning frenzy.  I separated items to "donate", "take to booth", and "dump".  On Tuesday I filled the truck cab with several boxes, and a giant boob tube TV.  As I started the truck I heard a farting sound. HUH?

I looked around to make sure my husband wasn't nearby playing a joke on me.  Nope.
"rrrrriiiiip" I heard it again.  The long, squeaky kind.  Hmmm.

Then I remembered that while cleaning out the attic, I found the old "fart machine" that my husband boys loved. They had more fun playing pranks on innocent by standers and guests than should be allowed.  I was a prime target, and the butt (ha ha get it?) of many of their little jokes.  They loved to tell me that the machine farts sound JUST like mine.  Thanks boys.

I thought about keeping it for about 2 seconds, but the remote was MIA and enough was enough...its outta here.  It sat in a box in the house for a week with not so much as a sputter.  But here I am sitting in the truck all alone with a fart machine that will NOT stop farting!!  With no remote nearby...   surely it will stop any second.  I started laughing and I could not stop. Hmmm, they really DO sound like mine.

A few miles down the road, my mind begins to wander to other things and the farting simply becomes background noise....until I pull into the pharmacy drive thru to pick up my prescription.  As the young man in the pharmacy window turns on the speaker and asks me how he can help me....
"rrrriiiip, rrrooooar, squirt (I dont know how to write the sound of a wet one???)"
He gives me a really strange look.
"Umm, hi, yes, I'm here to pick up my (rrrriiiip) prescription. My name is..."
At this point do I explain the whole thing or just look like a lady with a serious case of indigestion.  Should I ask to throw in some Rolaids?  I decide to play dumb.  Fart? What fart?  I pay for my prescription and drive away.

By now, I am laughing hysterically...to myself...
I decide to call my daughter in Pennsylvania.  She is at work.
"Hello, Janelle?" "Do you hear this?" ( I hold the phone to the backseat)
"Yea mom, is THAT you?  I'm at work you know"
"I know, but I HAD to tell someone..."  I go on to tell her the whole story. We laughed until we had tears.  Real tears.
"Only you, mom! Only you!"
We hang up.

Next stop...Goodwill.
I rush to the side door and explain before opening it. The young guys couldn't get to it fast enough.  "This will be GREAT to do pranks at work!!!"  They were so excited.

I went home and told my husband the story.  He laughed, but only after he got over the initial disappointment of  "Aww, man, I've been looking for that!"

Boys.