Master Bedroom

I want a large piece of art with yellow in it and to add a yellow fringed pillow to my bed. The far wall to the left is where the atlas art will go.

I am finally getting to posting pics of my master bedroom. I still have quite a few things that I'd like to do but I am being thwarted by the lack of a good atlas and time. I am on the hunt so when I get that part done I'll post again. Here is the work so far...

I need a lot of help on the top of this dresser. I spray painted several giant oak leaves silver but they aren't doing it for me. I just bought another taller version of the silver vase - now what to put in them.

In A Twist

I have been trying to make new bread recipes more often. My willing and able assistants were Lauren and her best friend Sydney. Our first batch was a little bulky (think fat pretzels) and needed to be slimmed down. We finally figured out that we needed to work in smaller batches, keeping about half the dough refrigerated until we had the first batch in the oven. We decided that we could lighten up on the salt it called for but over do it a little on the butter. They are much better serves fresh and hot but reheating in the microwave is okay.

Pretzels - modified from about six sources so really I'm calling this one new...

1 1/2 cup warm water

1 1/8 tsp active yeast ( 1 1/2 packages)

3 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup bread flour

3 cups white flour (add or subtract a bit depending on how sticky the dough is)

4 cups hot water (almost scalding)

4 Tablespoons baking soda

Coarse salt

4 Tablespoons butter melted

Add yeast to warm water in a large mixing bowl; stir until dissolved. Add sugar and salt; stir until dissolved. Add bread flour then add white flour until dough is no longer sticky. Turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Return dough to greased bowl and cover with light cheese cloth. Place in warm area to rise until double about 1 hour.

Pinch off pieces of dough about 1/2 cup size and roll into long ropes about 15" long and less than 1/2" thick.

Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased non-reactive baking sheet (Metal sheets will leave a bit of a metallic taste to the pretzels. You can also use parchment that you brush lightly with butter.) Place pan in a warm place to rise again for about 30 minutes.

Bake pretzels in a 450' oven for about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter immediately and serve warm. You can add other toppings after you brush with butter such as: coarse salt, cinnamon/sugar, Parmesan or finely shredded cheddar cheese.

Doing the Flamingo

I love watching people who can dance well. I love watching their grace and skill at executing a dance beautifully. When a neighbor told me I was about to be flamingo'd I thought, "What fun! Where do I go?". Little did I know that this is what she meant...

Fun but not exactly what I expected. :-)

Halloween

Lauren made her costume again this year. She decided on a sailor theme. I was thinking she wanted to do the pants - thank goodness she didn't! She made her skirt by making her own pattern from another skirt. I did make the neck tie - thank you Debbie for the numerous questions answered!

This pic is of Rebecca (new this year from England - love her accent), some kid in 1st grade, Lauren's little buddy Meridith Braitberg and my sailor girl Lauren.

More Important Things

I want everyone to know that I have not been lazy during the last three weeks. I know I haven't blogged but blogging gets in the way of other more important things. Those more important things have been ... drum roll please .... spackling and painting. Have you ever just looked around your house and thought it looked shabby? That's what I had been thinking about mine for months. It was not horrible just shabby and dull.

Yes, MORE spackling and painting. I painted the family room walls, and moved on to the living room trim and may have had to paint that entire room because I touched up a wall and it didn't match. (I was so annoyed about that.) Jim mentioned he was tired of the green in the dining room so we could a very nice Behr color, Newport Blue, which I finished today. I am set on doing the trim tomorrow which should finish off the downstairs nicely.

So, that means since June I have painted: T & C's room, Lauren's room, my bathroom and vanity, the upstairs hall, the stairs, the downstairs hall, the entire family and living rooms, my office touch up and the window trim, the downstairs bathroom, the dining room including painting the windows twice, touched up the kitchen and laundry area.

Now our house has that freshened appearance of a house soon to be on the market. No we're not moving but I keep telling the kids we are to keep me motivated to finish.

Next on my agenda: ceiling touch ups (long PVC tube with a paintbrush duct taped on), strip and refinish the three hall doors and refinish the coffee table. I'm thinking I should be done by Connor's birthday??

MRSA - Warning! Don't look at this!

Jim has been going through some challenging skin issues lately. He has had a terrible rash for about three weeks. On Thursday of last week something new 'popped' up. It looked awful and he said it was really painful. He went to see his doctor on Friday who said it was probably a skin infection and referred him to a dermatologist who could see him in a week. Saturday he was in so much pain he went in to Urgent Care. They lanced him - I said, "Got medieval on his ___." which I thought was funny but he did not laugh. Sunday it looked worse so he spent the day with a Russian nurse who didn't know the Cold War was over and tortured Jim until he blacked out which is not passing out according to her.

Fast forward to yesterday: our regular GP had a look and said it looks like MRSA. Huh? It is a strain of staph infection that doesn't respond to antibiotics. Really? Oh, yes, this is the type that if it goes unchecked you die. REALLY? Oh, yes. Our GP thinks they caught it in time and Jim is on horse pills and has had two really painful shots. He will probably live. BTW, don't look this one up - it is ugly.

I told him I was going to be VERY angry with him if he did die on me.

My hair is out but I'm still feeling weathered

Well, it has been 3 long weeks since I last wrote. 3 very long weeks. Let's recap:

1. Preparation for mediation

2. Mediation that went no where but to more (4+) meetings scheduled but now I know what

I'm being sued for, I think.

3. School started

4. Painted Lauren's room - still trying to get her stuff out of my room - daunting!!

5. Painted hall, including the 14' ceiling. Paintbrush taped on end of an extending pole works

great for those hard to reach places.

6. Research and document review for mediation - argh.

7. Had to finish on-line course for license renewal (will it matter if things go bad?) 91% on test.

I blame my score on Roger scratching for attention just when I started until I was done!!

8. Cracked rib - hard to sleep, hard to run

9. Caught a cold/flu type bug that knocked me out for a couple of days. When was the last time

I had a fever?

10. More research and paperwork review for mediation. Annoying!

11. More painting, office windows, FR windows and trim, and bathroom ceiling (ugh)

I am feeling better, I'm caught up on work (oh, yeah, throw that in the mix above) and my laundry is done for the day.

Maybe I'll shower.