My New Toy

Before we get into today’s post, I’m sure you will all be pleased to know I found my legal pad. Thanksgiving prep has now begun.  I've gotten my menu written out, checked my pantry, and added what I still need to my shopping list.

It was in a knitting bag, by the way. My legal pad, not my shopping list.  

Speaking of , the plant is going to feed us Thanksgiving dinner next week.  Yeah, they're serving us fried catfish and chicken strips.  

OK, moving right along…I got me a new toy.  

It's an exercise board.  I'd been doing the deep squats at work, but those are tough on my knees, so I've been looking for something else to do that doesn't require leaving the house.  Several years ago, I'd bought one of those Simply Fit boards, like this.

The only problem is that it was so hard to balance on, and it just wasn't as fun as I'd thought it'd be.  I ended up giving it to a coworker, who tried it and said, "I see what you mean."  Shortly after that, I went searching on Amazon and found the one above.  The only thing is, I wish I'd gotten the larger size, because I have to keep my feet too close together and it just feels awkward.  I supposed I'll get the hang of it eventually, but the important part is, I'll be able to work some of my glucose down.   And I can do it while I watch TV.  

In other news, I have a new project as well.  If you've been reading the blog for a while, you'll remember I had a whole series of posts on "bricking".  It was all about me stripping the thick, gloppy paint from the bricks behind my wood stove so I could re-paint them.  

It took a minute, but I finally got it done, then painted the bricks what I had hoped would be a light gray.  I wanted it to look like stones.  Not sure how I thought that was going to work, but it's what I did.  And I do like the color and how it turned out.  The only problem was it made that corner so dark and gloomy.  I didn't really realized how dark and gloomy until I was putting out my fall decorations this year, and found an old photo of the way it looked when the bricks were white and the mantle was green. 

So I decided to try to lighten it up a bit.  I bought some acrylic white and started lightly brushing it over the bricks.   I don't want to go too heavy with the white, because I want the gray undertones to show through.  I've only got this much done, but I'm liking it so far. 

I'm not sure I'm going to do the base, too, or leave it solid gray.  We'll see.   It's all temporary, anyway.  When I am finally able to get my house fixed up, all of this is going to go.  Even the stove.  I want to replace it with something that looks nicer, like one of these:

Not necessarily this exact one, but something like it.  Whichever one I choose will be much more aesthetically pleasing than what I have. 

And finally, when this thing blooms, it's going to be stunning.  

I'll be sure to post a photo, of course. 

Going To Take A Break

When I'm at work, working away at my no - brainer job, or puttering around the house, or driving to the store, or whatever I'm doing, I mentally compose long, eloquent posts.  Oh, they're beautiful posts.  They'd made you laugh.  They'd make you cry.  They'd move you.

But when I sit down at my keyboard to type them out, my brain suddenly goes numb, and I stare at the screen and say to myself, "Wut r werds?"  It's why my posts have been so dull here lately.  Well, that, and there hasn't really been anything happening...

Therefore, I think I'm going to be taking a little break.   Oh, I'll still post from time to time, but it won't be every day.  BTW, Sunday's post is already written and scheduled, so after that...

So, the most interesting thing I have to tell you today is that I replaced all the innards in my toilet in the half bath.  Seriously.

I'd bought the parts over a year ago, and they'd been sitting there on the floor by the toilet ever since.  Any time I went into that bathroom, I'd look at that fill valve and flapper and say, "I really need to get those parts replaced."  Then I'd walk right back out without doing it.

Yesterday, with the lack of any major home renovations going on, I finally broke down and got er done.  Once I finally got started, it didn't really take long at all, and the best part is that toilet flushes so much better now!  And that's a bit of a sad statement of my life that I get so excited by a toilet flushing.  Sigh...that's why my blog is so boring...

After repeatedly flushing said toilet and squeeing like a fan girl, I went out back and split some wood.  That is a work out, I'm telling ya.  I hauled some up to the house in anticipation of the first frost of the year, which is supposed to happen tonight.

Also in anticipation of the first frost, I brought all my potted plants inside.  Then I cut some Zinnias and brought them in, too, to brighten up the place. 

I expect the cold will get the ones outside.  It's expected to get down into the 20s-30s at night for the next week, but I'm ready.  I've got firewood, hot chocolate, and plenty of knitting.

Speaking of knitting, I finished a Jayne hat except for the pom pom and weaving in ends.  I just tucked them out of sight for this picture.

The only thing is, I used a knitted on cast on instead of twisted German, and I'm not happy about the way the ribbing looks.  It keep trying to flip up.  I was hoping the ear flaps would keep it laying flat, but it doesn't look like they will.  Also, where I picked up the stitches for those ear flaps, it left big holes.

I'm hoping when I wash and block the hat, it'll cover those sins, since blocking covers a multitude of them.  Either way, someone next year will end up with a very special hat in his Blessing Bag.  Maybe more than one someone.  Read on, dear friend...

Determined not to let that cast on beat me, I cast on another hat -- this time using the correct cast on.

I was just very careful to cast on very loosely this time.  Now that I've kind of got the hang of that cast on, I might use it for all my charity hats. 

One last thing, I found the baseboard and chair rail I'd pried off the wall by my wood stove and put them back up.

I have some trim that goes against the bricks as well, if I can find it.  Then, of course, getting the mantle back up, and my little wood stove will be done.  Just that little bit makes the area look neater, and more finished -- despite the stains on the wood.  And the peeled paint.

And the floors that desperately need replaced...

But they'll have to do for now.  I'm not doing any more remodeling until I get my credit cards paid off and a significant bit of savings built up.   I just need to beg for overtime at work.

Busy Saturday

It's November now.  I reckon that means it's time to take my Halloween decorations down.  We're not big on Halloween here, so these were the only three things I'd put out to begin with.

That little pumpkin on the right used to have an air plant in it, but it died.  The luminaria Jack O' Lantern I've had so long, I don't even remember where I got it, and the mug in the middle was given to me by a coworker several years ago.  That's about it.  Since Cody is grown and gone, I don't even put out my fake light up Jack O' Lantern any more.  Well, I do, but I put the plain side out so it's a general Fall decoration. 

We are all ready for Thanksgiving now.  The plant usually gives us a Turkey, and I'm thinking, if Cody isn't coming home, I'll just put it into the freezer for Christmas.  I may just do gumbo or ribs in the Instant Pot for Thanksgiving.  I'll still make a pumpkin or a squash pie.  Maybe Cody can come home around Thanksgiving time, if not on Thanksgiving day itself.  Planning is half the fun, and I hate not knowing what to plan for. 

Speaking of my freezer, I got my plants all safely tucked into their winter home.

What has that got to do with my freezer?  That's where I had all my Christmas cacti -- on top of my deep freeze.  It's supposed to get really cold -- well, for the South -- next weekend, maybe even freeze, so this seemed like a good time to get them moved inside.

Next up, my project for the day.  When whoever installed this bathtub installed this bathtub, they didn't to a very good job.  The drain actually sits about 1/8" above the bottom of the tub.  Over the years, water has collected in that gap, and caused the tub to start rusting.  I put some silicone down to try to keep the water from pooling, but I didn't think it was providing much protection.  It seemed to me the water was getting under the silicone, because it wasn't stuck to the tub very well.  I guess because of the rust.  I needed to do something better.   

This morning, I got the old trusty wire brush out and scrubbed all the silicone and loose rust off.

For what it's worth, I may not be the best housekeeper in the world, but my tub isn't normally that dirty.  It's from scrubbing the rust.  Except for that hair in the drain.  It's always there.  What can I say?  It's like it grows right out of my head or something.

Also note, there are quite a few bristles missing from that brush.  I wore two of those down like that, scrubbing fireplace bricks.  So glad to be done with that. 

Anyway, as soon as it was clean and dry, I painted it with a bit of Rustoleum oil based enamel paint.

I'm going to put a second coat on tomorrow, once this one is fully dry.  The can said to wait about 24 hours to re-coat.  Since this is my only bathtub/shower, I'll shower in the AM -- after the 24 hour drying period -- then put the second coat on.  That'll also let me see how this paint will hold up.  It's supposed to be waterproof.  We shall see. 

This is only a stop-gap until I can get the tub either re-finished or replaced. I really want to get all my bathroom fixtures replaced eventually, including the plumbing.  But that will be a long time coming...

I finally broke down and ordered some mounting things for my mantle.  I put it off for a long time, because I didn't really know what I'd be getting before I ordered.  I'd have much rather have seen these in person before buying them, but nobody local had anything like I wanted. 

They arrived this morning, and I find myself just a bit daunted by the prospect. 

What I'm having trouble with is drilling those big holes in my mantle.  The rest is easy.  Those posts are 6" long, so I have to drill a perfectly straight hole at least that long.  I'm going to have to buy a drill bit...and one that size won't even fit my little drill.  So, that means I buy a new drill...I may have to ask for help with this one, folks. 

Maybe I'll get my shutters painted, then hire someone to install both the mantle and shutters at the same time. That'll work.

On the bright side, a free level came with the mounting brackets.

Today is one of those days I can't seem to decide whether I'm hot or cold.  Kind of like the day itself.  It started off in the 30s, and ended up in the low 70s.  I keep opening the windows, then closing them, then putting on long sleeves, then taking them off...ad infinitum. 

However, it did stay cold enough long enough to put me in the mood to play with my new wax stamps, which also arrived today.

This one has Christmas designs.  Six of them.

If you can't see the picture, there is a Santa, a deer, a Merry Christmas, a tree, a snowman, and bells.  I spent a couple of happy hours signing and sealing Christmas cards while watching cheesy Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel.

I had fun trying different things, like marbling the wax.  I'm telling you one thing, though.  When it comes time for me to buy new wax, I'm definitely getting the beads instead of the sticks.  Trying to cut that stuff is hard!  I've also got the kind you light a wick, but I don't like those.  It takes so long to get enough wax melted that way, the first bit you've dripped onto your paper has already cooled.  Plus, the fire keeps going out, and ash from the wick sometimes drips into your pool...I just don't like that kind.   BTW, if you got a card last year, you're getting one this year, too.  If you didn't, and want one, make sure I have your address, and I'll add you to the list.

Lastly, I gave Cody what I thought was my last Jayne hat.  Turns out it wasn't, as I found another one in the closet.  But you can't have too many Jayne hats, so I cast on a new one.

The pattern I use calls for a Twisted German Cast On.  It took me three tries to get it right, then four rounds in, I decided it wasn't stretchy enough.  I ripped it all out and started over with a knitted cast on this time.

Now, if I could only figure out how to make a decent pom pom, I'd be all set. 

P.S.  I know how to do it, but mine never turn out right. 

Finished!

After I posted yesterday, I put one more coat of paint on my bricks while watching LSU totally take down Mississippi State.  Which, oh, by the way, you are not going to beat Alabama with field goals, no matter how good your kicker is.  But I digress...

I let it dry overnight, and when I got up, I declared my fireplace renovation done!  Well, for the most part.  I've spotted a couple of touch ups I need to do, but I'll get those when I do the closet door.

I still have to get the mantle hung, but I'm going to have to order hardware for that.  The previous owners just had big 4 inch nails driven through at an angle, but I want to get the right kind of mounting brackets.  I've looked locally, and I've checked the Lowe's app to see if they had it up in Batesville.  No such luck.  The only place I found the kind I want is on Amazon.   But, other than that, and putting the trim up, it is finished.

Just in time, too, because it was down to 40' when I got up this morning.  It wasn't cold enough in the house to turn on the heater, but a little fire felt just right.

Oh, and by the way, if you ever paint your bricks behind your wood stove, be sure to take the painter's tape off your stove pipe before lighting a fire in said stove.  It will smolder and burn, and fill your house with dense, stinky smoke.  It...uh, it happened to a friend of mine...yeah...

With that first fire also came the first burn of the season.

I usually wear gloves when handling the bigger logs, but for some reason, today I didn't.  It actually looks worse than it is.  It hasn't blistered yet, so it might not even leave a scar.  I know it sounds crazy, but being a brazer, I'm kind of used to being burned.  This one doesn't even hurt any more.  Unlike my poison ivy, which still itches like crazy. 

Anyway, chilly morning...fire in the grate...it seemed a perfect day to add a few more squares to my sock yarn blanket. 

Right now, I'm adding the yarn from the mini skeins I bought at Fiber Fun In The Sip.  They have enough yarn that I can put a square in my blanket, and still have enough to add one to my sister's. 

Finally, my Christmas cactus have started budding. 

Three of them so far have buds, but these are the biggest ones.   It's going to be glorious when they all bloom.

A Monster

Years ago, I was still a kid, my mother made herself a salad one day.  She kept adding stuff to it -- lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and so forth.  When she was finally finished and sat down to eat it, she saw how big it had gotten and exclaimed, "I've created a monster!" 

I think that's what has happened to these stupid bricks.  I've created a monster. 

I was almost done.  So close I could taste the finish line.  Only, last night, I had an idea.  Whether it was a bright idea or a mistake remains to be seen.

And what was this idea I had?  Well, I'll tell you.  I got the idea that I would get my darker gray spray paint and paint my bricks with it.  Once it was dry, I'd go over the whole thing with my lighter gray brush on paint.  I was thinking this would layer the colors, and give more depth to my paint job.

Before I went to bed, I sprayed the darker gray, so it could dry well.  However, when I got up this morning and started painting with the lighter gray, it started beading up and rolling off.  I got very discouraged for a moment, thinking I had really messed up and would have to start completely over.

After backing away and catching my breath, I thought maybe I could get my belt sander out and just knock the paint off the surface of the bricks, and that would leave the darker paint in the textured parts.  That's kind of the look I was going for anyway.

I ended up having to sand it by hand, because I didn't have coarse enough sanding belts, but it didn't take too long to get it roughed up -- if you don't count the copious breaks I took.  Hey, it's my day off. 

I briefly considered just leaving it like this, but I didn't.  I put a coat of the lighter gray on it.  Oh, and I still have to paint the base.  I haven't even put one coat of the light gray on it.

I'm going to put another coat on it, probably tomorrow.  It's taking a long time to dry, because it's chilly and damp today.  It is turning out a little bit darker than I would have liked, but I think it'll be OK.

It'll have to be, because I'm not re-doing it.  After it dries for a week or so, I'm thinking of taking my sanding sponge and just very lightly scuffing the corners and edges, to give it a little bit of a distressed look.  Then I'm done with it.  No matter how it looks, I'm done.

Although, as I was typing that, I got the idea...what if I got some flat white paint and sponged over it?  Hmmm....That would lighten it up some, but the gray would still show through.  Something to consider...

Let me see what I've got out in the shop.

Remember I told you yesterday I'd gotten into some poison ivy?  Here is just one of about 5 patches of it.

This is the worst one, but not by much. 

Prime Time

Well, dang it!

I thought I was being careful yesterday when I was cleaning behind the fence.  I was trying to.  Trying to be oh, so careful, but I ended up covered in poison ivy anyway.  Sigh...I was going to get my herbicide out there today and spray it down really well, but I didn't get around to it.  Maybe I'll do it tomorrow. 

In the meantime, I'll just sit here and itch.  I have some ointment, but it doesn't seem to be working too well.  Frankly, when I get poison ivy, nothing works too well.  Yes, I'm that sensitive to it.  By the way, I once got the worst case of poison ivy Iv'e ever had through a long sleeved shirt. 

Let's talk about more pleasant things, shall we?  My bricks are all primed and ready to be painted.

Halfway through priming, I had a change of plans.  See, I was thinking that spray paint would get down into the grooves in the bricks better than brush on paint.  However, while I was priming, I saw that it wasn't working as well as I thought. 

I had to run to the store for some more primer, and on the way, I thought, "Let me just see what they have in the already mixed up, ready to use brush on paint."  Then I remembered, I have nearly a full gallon left from when I painted the trim in my living room.  It's even the right color. 

As soon as I got home from the store, I went out and got it from the shop, but by the time I'd finished priming, I decided I was done for the day.  I'm going to get it painted tomorrow, because Sunday morning, it is supposed to get down into the low 40s to upper 30s.  Perfect morning for a fire. 

While I'm at it, I might as well take that door down and get it sanded, primed, and painted, too.

Then my living room will finally be finished.

The next projects will be getting my mantle back up, and my shutters painted and hung.  After that, I'm taking a break from home renovation projects.  Oh, there's a lot left to do.  I'm just tired of doing it.

Also, I'm broke. 

So there is that...

I'm Done

I'm done.

I am done stripping these bricks. 

I've decided that I've gotten all the paint off that I'm going to get off. 

The only thing left is to wash them to make sure I've gotten all the stripper off.  I'll probably start with mineral spirits, then give them another going over with just plain soap and water. 

Follow it up with a good rinsing, and we will be ready to roll. 

Moving right along, a few week ago I bought some super bulky weight yarn on clearance to make charity hats.  I got this far on the first one, and realized I wouldn't have nearly enough yarn to finish.

Undaunted, I ripped back a few rounds, added another band of ribbing and voila', a headband.  Even that was pushing it.  I had this much yarn left once I'd bound off.

Here is the finished product.

When I started on the second one, I decided to stick with ribbing for the whole headband. 

Irony is, since I didn't switch to the larger needles like I normally do for the body of a hat, it looks like I might have enough yarn to do a whole hat.  I'm going to go as far as I can, and see what comes of it.  I may end up doing a ponytail hat, but that's OK. 

For you knitting muggles out there, a ponytail hat is one with a hole in the top for a ponytail or bun to stick out. 

Finally, look at next weekend, Y'all! 

Look at next weekend! 

Could it be that fall has at long last, finally arrived?

Tired Brain

My brain is tired today.

I'm not sure why, but I feel brain dead.  It may be all the fumes I've breathed today.  See, I've been working on my bricks some more.  I got this far,

and this far,

before calling it quits.   As I suspected, the base is going much faster than the back and side did.  It won't be long now.  I'm so close I can taste it, and yet, I feel like I'm never going to get done.  All discouragement aside, just those few bricks left in the front, and the bulk of the stripping will be finished.  I'll have to get the last little bits of paint off, then wash things down really well.  Finally, it'll be done and it'll be time to rock and roll.

I had to run into the store this morning to get some more stripper, and while I was there, I broke down and decided to buy another one of those fake hay bales like I had last year.  Alas, when I went to the fall decoration section to get one, they didn't have any more.  Or, I couldn't find them at least.  Plan B:  I went to the wood craft section and picked up one of those wooden crates.

Before buying it, I tugged really well on the slats, and none of them came loose.  This crate seemed much sturdier than the one I'd almost bought Friday in Batesville.  I brought it home and stained it with the rest of my golden pecan stain I'd bought for my inkle loom.

It turned out really pretty.  Once it's dried really well -- like overnight --I'll put it out on the porch with a fake pumpkin and some fake leaves on it.  I think it'll be really cute. 

While meandering through the aisles, I spotted a roll of orange burlap.  I said to myself, "Self, I bet you could glue that there burlap to that ugly old flower pot and make it look nice and fall-ish."  And that's exactly what I did.

In retrospect, I probably should have glued the burlap before putting the plant into the pot, but things just didn't work out that way.

I think it turned out kind of nice, even if you can see the price tag through the burlap.

Yeah, I probably should have peeled that off, too, but things just didn't....well, you know.  Still, you can't even see it from a few steps away, so it doesn't really matter.

So, between stripper fumes, wood stain fumes, and glue fumes, I'm about high as a kite.  It's probably best if I just went to bed now. 

Good night.

Not So Much Fun

I woke up this morning, feeling pretty good about myself.  I was skipping work, and with it came that wonderful feeling of not having to be somewhere I normally have to be.  But then, later this afternoon, I was texting a coworker.  She messaged me to thank me for turning her on to Netflix.  She'd been sitting in front of the TV all day.  I replied that she may never move from in front of the TV again.  Then I asked if the plant had worked today.  She said no.  Some component areas worked, but most of the plant was off.  That just took the air right out of my sails.

Playing hooky is not so much fun when the school is closed anyway.

What is fun, however, is being almost done stripping these bricks.

I've only got some bits behind the stove to clean up,

and the base to strip, then it'll be all done.   I'm thinking one more good going over with a wire brush, and a good washing, and they'll be ready to prime.

Speaking of washing, after wearing out two, yes two, count 'em two spray bottles,

not to mention my hand, while I was up in Batesville yesterday, I said to myself, "Self, why don't you get one of those bottles you can pump up and spray stuff."  That's exactly what I did.

The routine has been to apply stripper, let it loosen the paint, scrub it with a wire brush, then rinse with plain water.   This pump up bottle has made it so much faster, and easier on my hand, as well.

By the way, I've also worn out two wire brushes. 

I do have a wire brush attachment for my drill, but I can't get as much torque with that one.  I mean, when I really put pressure on the bricks, it seems to strain the motor too much, so if I want to get the paint out of those deep grooves, I have to do it by hand.

In the midst of all that brick scrubbing, I made good progress on my sister in law's hat.

Being as I'm working with two strands, it's knitting up pretty quickly.  I had a little problem when one of my balls of yarn decided to be ornery. 

I've been knitting from both the outside and the inside of each ball, but this one...well, it was being a butt.   I tried and tried to find the center pull end, but the whole thing was just knotting up tighter and tighter.  I decided to wind it into a cake on my ball winder, and it decided it didn't want to unroll from the outside either.  We had a few words, which I will not repeat here, but the yarn eventually saw things my way.

This morning, it was cool enough again that I could open the windows, but by mid afternoon, I had to shut them and turn the air conditioner back on.  Still, it put me in the mood to start putting out my fall decorations.

That's as far as I've gotten, other than getting my new mums into pots.  I haven't decided what I'm going to put on my front porch.  Last year, I had some fake hay, but I didn't keep it.  I don't really have a place to store such things without mice and/or spiders getting into them, so I got rid of it.  This year, I was thinking of getting something like an apple crate to set my fake pumpkin on.  I almost bought one at Wal-Mart, but as soon as I picked it up, it started falling apart.  I put it back, because I'm not going to pay all that money for something crappy. 

I don't know.  I'll figure out something. 

And lastly, I finally got a halfway decent picture of one of the twins before Rylea scared it off.

My little spike buck showed up, too.  I'm glad of that.  I don't see him very often.