Well,we made it through the 8th grade dinner dance weekend. And I celebrated my birthday. I tried something different this year. I scheduled a physical, joined weight watchers online and sent for information on a cycling club. All on my 49th birthday. Pretty ambitious stuff, right? Well I really, really want to be in shape for my 50th. And I figure with my track record, it is going to take me a whole year.
So, I was feeling all successful and goal oriented with visions of weight loss & buff Michelle Obama arms when life just had to step in. We are just weeks away from opening in our new location and David comes down with *gulp* shingles. Shingles. Are you kidding me? So now my world consists of a moving sale, renovations, a dishwasher that we discovered is beyond repair, and a sick husband. And let's face it - husbands are not good sick people. They simply are not.
While this may put us behind a bit, David has managed to complete several rooms on the 1st floor:
I'm knitting up a storm for the new location. Haven't even posted anything yarn related on the blog as I want everything about the Monroe Avenue shop to be *new*.
Move and Shingles aside, I do have a little something entertaining to post...First, everyone has been asking for a new picture of Harley:
He's getting big. And his latest thing is to take his toys and find a spot along the top of the couch cushions:
And before you wonder what kind of a household I run where dogs are allowed all over the furniture, I can explain. When it comes to living with 4 dogs and 4 kids, you have to have a long term strategy. Someday, we will own the gorgeous Stickley mission furniture I have coveted since my early 30s. Someday is defined as the point in time where all of our children are out of the house with no chance of wandering back here to live. Until that time, I have a furniture buying philosophy that has 3 core principles:
1. Buy furniture that is inexpensive.
2. Buy furniture you hate. (If its also uncomfortable, this is a bonus)
3. Buy furniture that doesn't match.
The logic here is that once the furniture is delivered , there is a window of only 3- 4 minutes where it will still be showroom quality. Smitten with the fabric of that new love seat? Bad idea. There is a glob of silly putty with new furniture radar lurking in your future. Better to buy the ugly stuff . Hideous is even better. The goal here is to witness the first kethcup stain with no emotional response what so ever. This concept is quite liberating actually. Magic marker on the arm rest. So what? New puppy thinks the leg of the recliner is a fancy new chew toy. Oh, well.
Now, I know there is a whole school of thought on how to discipline kids & puppies. You teach them to respect furniture, eat only in the kitchen and all the rest. Well, it has been my experience when you are outnumbered by both kids and puppies its important to have a Plan B. Hateful recliners and mismatched chairs are all part of my Plan B.
At any rate, back to Harley. He loves playing on top of the couch...until he loses his toy:
Hence the need for Plan B. :)
Hope your husband is feeling better. Shingles can be miserable for the whole family, not just the person with them. Harley's adorable. I have 3 dogs who make themselves comfortable on our furniture. I went to Ollie's Bargain Outlet and got a few Queen and a couple of king sized sheets that we cover our sofa and love seat with them. We wash them every few days or just run one of those sticky/lint rollers over it.
Posted by: Pat | June 03, 2009 at 02:24 PM
Pam, you should know by now that all of life is "Plan B" and you just might need plans even further into the alphabet.
Harley is a cutie. We once had a dog that weight 45 pounds, whose favorite lookout was the back of the sofa. We had to rearrange the living room so that he no longer had a reason to sit up there to look out the window. Instead he stood on his hind legs and scratched grooves in the window sill.
Hope David's shingles aren't a severe case and the itch doesn't drive you nuts. (I know from experience it will him.)
A personal note, the "Sea Ice Queen" is about half way to completion.
Posted by: Gramma Phyl | June 03, 2009 at 07:14 PM