Ode to Santa Cruz, Bolivia

I just finished painting the bathroom cabinets. 

With all my "formal" training (HGTV watching,) I was surprised that I had failed to forecast what was about to happen:  my forest green flooring and coordinating forest green counter tops would look extra foresty green when paired with white. 

"What's wrong with green and white?"

Not everyone has a problem with Forest Green.  It was really popular in the 90s.  In fact, I think it was invented in the nineties.

You know who appreciates Forest Green?  Ole Ralph Lauren.

I kept thinking.  This reminds me of something.

My husband is a Boston Celtics fan.

What could it be?

Green is all the rage!

And why should I have such a problem with Green and White?  Why do I have the sudden urge to sledgehammer the tile floor and throw sticks of dynamite in the sinks?

Drum roll...here is the unveiling!  Remember, you voted on this!

And here she is!  2 coats of primer and 3 coats of paint later.

What can I say?  I am muy popular in Santa Cruz, Bolivia!  ¡Olé!

La Bandera Oficial de Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Any good black Friday deals on dynamite and sledgehammers?

New Carpet!

Having had carpet put in our last three houses, I wish I could give good advice about the best carpet do put in, choosing colors, etc.   The only thing I seem to ever learn is what NOT to do.

This sums up my past carpet choices. 

Lesson #1 - San Antonio Home - White berber.  Didn't realize it was going to be that white.  Rex threw up on it during the first week and we never got the spot out.  

Here's a shot of the white berber in a little photo I would title:

"Playing with New Baby Brother"

He is now 5 and outweighs her.  She had to have her fun while it lasted.

Lesson #2 - Big Spring Home - We did a fluffy shag-type brown with spots.  Better with stains (I know because I spilled a great deal of paint in one room and besides being a little crunchy in that spot, you couldn't see anything.)  However, it felt dirty...like each fiber was absorbing dirt and hair and popcicle juice and coffee.  Once Marc got a bad fever and decided to sleep on the floor.  He proceeded to sweat profusely for several hours and I'm pretty sure the carpet was never clean after that.

"New Baby Shelby on Sweaty Gross Big Spring Carpet"

Of course she didn't know any better.

 In what can only be described as an ADD moment in my life, I chose three different carpets for three different rooms for our new home.  We just got it installed this week.

Master bedroom = wavy

I am not feeling this color.

Rex is looking a little seasick.

Carly's room has an organic motif.

You cannot see the motif very well.  Come over and have a look.

 

Conrad's carpet is brown with a "dotty" design.

Brown...dotty... This is my favorite.

Maybe, just maybe...there is no perfect carpet???? 

Bathroom cabinets

I painted the bathroom this weekend.

It used to be this strange mint green color.

 I took our gray-greenish-bluish bedroom color, and took it one shade darker.

We really like this color.

Here is another "before."

Note the brown banisters and ugly blinds.

And the corresponding "after."

Photobooth inverts the photos in case you are feeling disoriented.

So I am left with this burning question.

No, it's not about these lights.  Their time is already ticking.

What to do with the remaining wood?

AND.....

picture does not do this justice

The fact that there is quite a bit of odd mint green paint
on the edges of cabinets 

due to previous poor paint job?

You watch HGTV don't you?  Surely you have a suggestion for little old me

and my sombrero wearing online chihuahua friend?

Yo quiero tu helpo.

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Twilight Zone

I decided to take an alternate route to school this morning, 

which led me around the front of our home (we park in the back.) 

To my surprise, this is what I saw:

Photo taken early this morning from low-tech cell phone

It is not uncommon for us to rush out in the mornings and leave a few lights on.  

I suppose we left our upstairs lights on this morning.

Only problem is...

We don't have an upstairs.  

Those windows up there with the blinds on them?  

Those are dormers.  

They are not even visible from the attic.  

They are just kind of "stuck on" the roof. 

For your comparison and contrast:  Photo in daylight courtesy of Google Maps.

Which leads me to wonder...who exactly is living up there?  

And should we be charging rent?  

And why do I have to get up and go to work BEFORE the crack of dawn 

when these slakers are obviously just rising for their morning coffee 

and watching the Today Show? 

And, in the words of my Gramma Susie,

I'm feeling like a "fraidy cat"

and am concerned that maybe the previous owners,

know some secret passage way and are living up there.

Do you think they'll change the light bulbs when they burn out?

I think that would be a fair trade-off.

Don't you?