Curtin Call

So, vacation was wonderful, absolutely wonderful! We got our hardwood floors done and the cats were amazingly well behaved considering we spent three days with them in the downstairs level of the house.

I am very much enjoying the time I’ve been able to spend in the yard. In the past, we’ve always had annual plants in our yard and we’ve always put a lot of time and effort into it. With the new house and all the nature that surrounds it, I am just overwhelmed on a regular basis when I look around and think “This is mine! So, what should I do next?” Over the winter, I decided to decorate the yard with birdhouses, bird feeders, etc. I’ve had a wonderful time with this!

This one here, I set up just along the edge of the woods:

That’s the bird feeder on the right. There are a couple of tube feeders as well as a tray for food and another for water. As you can see, it didn’t take long for the deer to find this one. This guy and a buddy were soon enjoying the fact that they need only walk on over and, voila!, a free meal! Now, I honestly do not have a problem with the deer (or squirrels for that matter) enjoying some of the food and water but I have been warned from the beginning that you DO NOT want to feed the deer as they will never leave (which wouldn’t be so bad) but they will also eat everything that you have planted in your yard (which isn’t so good).

So…. I decided that this bird feeder probably isn’t such a good idea so I decided to make this a bird feeder/planter and only filled the tube feeder:

Soon, our dear little deer friends returned! I was sitting on the deck when I suddenly heard a “Crash!” from behind. Since there is nothing but woods behind me, I couldn’t imagine what I was hearing! Then, I looked:

That little guy was standing there looking at me with a look on his face that was saying “What?!?!?! Where’d my filet mignon go???”

And here is what was left:

Ahhh… the joys of living with nature!

We are making some serious progress in (finally) finishing up the hallway and living room since I last posted about this project.

I may have mentioned here before that I married a perfectionist. I am not complaining. I know I am very lucky and I would not trade him for the world but, just so you’ll have some idea of his perfectionism – here you go:

First, he paints along all the edges:

Now, if you look closely, can you see that perfect “line” that he leaves between where the wall ends and the ceiling starts?

Here it goes – down the hallway:

And the wall in the living room when done:

Do you see the line between the green (correction: Benjamin Moore Palisades Park) and white? See how perfect that line is? That’s the line between the living room and dining room. It does not have to be perfect. A rather wide molding will cover that line. But it is perfect.

Next up? Sanding the hardwood floors. This one, we have hired the professionals for (we did a very small room in our first house years ago and learned quickly that there’s a reason these people charge what they do!) That likely sounds like a simple next step for many but when you consider that we have two indoor cats to contend with, I am very much not looking forward to this. The game plan is to build a temporary wall in the lower level where we will all live for a few days. Yes, that includes the scaredy cat, whom I’m predicting will probably hide under a piece of furniture the entire time and a deaf cat that could damn near awaken the dead when he starts to meow uncontrollably when he is not getting his way.

This will all happen while I’m on vacation next week. I am very much looking forward to this much anticipated/needed vacation. What I am not looking forward to is spending several days in the confines of two rooms in the lower level of my house, with my two cats. Please, wish us luck!

I overheard this conversation between two World War II Veterans (whom I am fortunate to be able to call my friends) the other day:

Bob: Gee, Tim, I didn’t see you at the Veteran’s breakfast the other day.
Tim: No, Bob. I couldn’t make it. You know, by the time I get the wife up, fed, change her diaper (whispered, with his hand in front of his month) and dressed, I can’t make it in time for breakfast.
Bob: Oh, okay, that’s too bad.
Tim: No, really, its okay. She took care of me for many, many years so really, I don’t mind at all.
Bob: It is what it is and we must do what we must do.

Then they both sat back and finished up their Budweisers, which each of them will tell you has kept them going all these years! I’m a lucky person to have such good friends. I’m also pretty damn lucky to have a wonderful husband. I hope the day doesn’t come that he has to get me up, fed, do that “dirty deed” and get me dressed but I have a funny feeling that if it came to that, he would do the same for me. Then he’d go have a nice cold Coor’s Light…

This little guy has been hanging out in our yard for several weeks now:

I’m hop(p)ing there’s a Mrs. Juan out there somewhere and soon we’ll have baby Juan’s hopping around, too!

There’s been lots going on, I’ve been snapping all sorts of pictures lately and I have lots to tell. Problem is, I don’t have the time to tell it all! Stay tuned….

Yes, that is for real. There is a full page add in our Institute’s newspaper and there is also a website with the specifics. Wow! If only I were 21, and a genius, and Asian, and….

Oh, well! Back to work I guess…

They came yesterday to start putting our new roof on. I’m told they made lots and lots and lots of noise. Needless to say, Shadow was nowhere to be found the entire time the roofers were there. Soon after they left and he decided it was safe to come out, he immediately ran downstairs and proceeded to… puke.

The poor baby!!!!!!

Today is the first day of my “friend” Joyce’s new journey in life, as it is the last day on her job of ~15 years. I “met” Joyce through work – about six years ago – but since she works in a different state, we’ve never actually seen each other (which we’re hoping to maybe change now that she’ll have all this time on her hands!) but we’ve communicated through email and phone calls on a regular basis this whole time.

Joyce has been here for me when I’ve been laughing, crying, hurting, screaming, wondering “why?” and just about any other time I’ve needed a friend.

I wanted to do something for Joyce, but I couldn’t figure out what. I could wish her a “Happy Retirement”, though she’s not using that word with her husband (Ssshhhh!). I could wish her “Good Luck”, but luck has nothing to do with it – Joyce is one smart cracker and what she has she has earned. I could try “Good-bye” but that would stink. I don’t want to say good-bye to Joyce – I like her too much and besides, she promised she’s going to stay in touch!

So this is it! This is the best I could come up with, Joyce! This post is for you – I’m going to miss our near-daily “chats”. I’m going to miss opening my email and seeing your name pop up all the time. I hope that you enjoy this next phase of your life as much as you deserve!

Go ahead – enjoy!

Yes, its 35 degrees outside and felt more like 12 when I was walking back from lunch but they’re telling me its Spring and I’m believing it! Woohoo!

The sun is shining, Spring is just a wee three days from now and everyone gets to be Irish today!

I ask you – does life get any better than this???