We are still humping along in total chaos. The week has been full of more ups and downs although no one died. We are grateful for that. There will be no working kitchen for the holidays. That is sad. It’s not so much that we do fabulous holidays parties but if you can’t get something done prior, the world stops accomplishing things until after the New Year. People take vacations and enjoy life. Damn them!
This past week I noticed a thick layer of dust someplace that I know I have cleaned since the construction started. Cleaning isn’t easy as there are boxes and rolled up carpets where they don’t belong. It’s hard to get in back of or around things. Not cleaning isn’t an option either as dust kicks up allergies.
The bright news of the week is I have finally found jeans that fit. I washed them and they still fit. That’s remarkable.
I’ll enjoy my small victories and continue to wonder where my long-ago ordered sink is. I’ve ask for a “proof of life” photo as I’m not really sure it isn’t a line in an order in the manufacturing plant (that surely closes for Christmas week).
What’s that you say? Think positive? Boogers! It’s a two mocha latte day for sure! Happy Thursday!
Growing up my aunt had a tuxedo cat with mustache and the tuxedo markings. She called him Charlie Chaplin and he was adorable. He’s been gone for decades, but I still think of him. Must have been the mystique of that Bond look!
I’m pulling for you to get that sink! You need a hopeful sign. ๐
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New day for arrival is Tuesday. Being hopeful.
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I’m so sorry about your kitchen situation! That can’t be fun, especially with the holidays coming up. But before you know it, everything will be complete and beautiful! In the meantime, can you guys go away for a week’s vacation at all? That would get you away from it, at least for a little while.
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Vacation? Not likely. Wouldn’t want to leave the cats with workers coming in and out. We must be close to the end. IF the sink comes Tuesday, templating next Friday we should be good to go by New Year’s. Today I’m painting the walls next to the cabinets. Yay!
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Glad it’s moving along somewhat, anyway!
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I love the photos!!! Fluffy butt is adorable! Sorry about the sink. Happy Holidays.
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Those tuxie cats are so formal! He likes his niptini shaken, not stirred.
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I know! Very fancy. I am way more laid back, myself.
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Our flooring has been on back-order for about 6 weeks, but was supposed to be delivered today. It looks like it will be tomorrow, but thatโs a good thing. We had too much going on today. I hope your sink shows up soon!
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Six weeks isn’t bad. Another client of our contractor has been waiting for a shower handle mixer since April. That’s just crazy.
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Yes, it is. But then, we live in unusual times.
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The nice-fitting jeans helped balance out the kitchen woes … on balance, no expectations expected of you for any Christmas gatherings. ๐
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No expectations at all. We have a swag on the door and a tiny poinsettia on the coffee table. Maybe I’ll send out cards. Maybe not. I can do that if I can find them.
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I’m mixed on sending out the cards this year – I would go to all Jacquie Lawson e-cards but a few people aren’t really on e-mail or social media much and I only send out 10 cards anyway. I’ve usually got them in the mail by now.. You have more than me – I just have a wreath on the door.
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Actually I like the e-cards. I don’t hang up the regular cards and this year, there is no good place to put them so they won’t be displayed at all. We’ll get to look at them though and maybe someone will write a message in it.
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That’s true – the messages. No one seems to write “newsletters” like in the past. I had a friend who did that and now with social media, especially Facebook, there is no need to recap the past year’s activities with your Christmas card. The e-cards have come a long way since the early ones.
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I haven’t done a newsletter in years. I figure if anyone is interested enough they can follow me either by blog or Facebook although I rarely post on FB except for my blog post.
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I am on Facebook but never post anything, just follow news and various park venues and nature sites. Some friends don’t use e-mail anymore, so have to keep up with them via Facebook.
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Thank goodness you have a sense of humor โฆ and the jeans
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Every day during this traumatic renovation something good happens. Sometimes it’s just a smiley face the barista put on my mocha latte with a note that says “hi Kate.” Sometimes it’s good fitting jeans (for which I’ve been looking for a long time). I have to be aware of it because it can be small and rejoice in it. Otherwise I will turn into a huge grump and I won’t be able to stand myself.
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Great strategy! Glad you found your jeans – I did two years ago and life is a lot more comfortable ๐ฅฐ
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Sorry about the kitchen, but yay on the jeans. I don’t think I have ever had a pair that fit perfectly.
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LL Bean used to make knit jeans that were wonderful. They weren’t perfect. They could get snags and the knees would bag out (but not a lot). They lasted two seasons of regular wear but I was very happy with all that because they were like pj’s. They discontinued them. I think it was the snags that did them in based on the reviews. I’ve been on a search ever since. Stretchy jeans are touchy as sometimes the waist doesn’t stretch while everything else stretches out.
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Hooray for small victories. And I hope the sink shows up really soon. Renovations suck.
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Yes they do but afterward! So rewarding!
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Ah, I used to have the most wonderful Tuxedo cat named Pepper (full name Salt ‘n Pepper)! My kids grew up with Pepper and we only found out about my daughter’s cat allergy after Pepper passed. Seems she had a tolerance to our cat but wheezing and swollen eyes to any others.
Sorry to hear about the renovation snag, Kate…unfortunately that is the way these things go…in my experience, anyways.
Deb
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I did a huge addition a long time ago that included the kitchen and the master bath and bedroom. It took five long months. I had a beach house then that I could go off to. It saved my sanity. We are very fortunate that the guy working here is quiet (no radios) and respectful. It’s almost like not having anyone here except there is no sink or range or a room that isn’t full of boxes.
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Fluffy Butt reminds me of my tuxedo that I affectionately called Goober. Her real name was Chloe, but I named her that before I got to know her. She was definitely more of a Goober.
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I know what you mean about the name not always fitting the critter! Jake was a bit of a Goober too!
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Fluffy Butt made my day! Kate, I just know, HOPE you will have a finished beautiful kitchen for New Year’s Day… I am putting all my positive energy into it! We decided to do the bathrooms in January but in baby steps. New countertops, sinks, mirrors, and faucets. We will see how it goes. Shower and tub surround later. Maybe I will survive. I have to say your jean purchases are golden!
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It will work out. I’ve just been in a funk for the last two weeks. Too much going on and not all of it is the kitchen. I’m eating a big chunk of chocolate cake now and it is improving my outlook. Maybe that’s what I’ve been doing wrong!
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Well, it’s good that you have a home for the holidays that is warm and safe. And you will have stories to tell about this Christmas for years to come.
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We are warm and safe and every day something good happens. I have to focus on that rather than the dozen disappointments.
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I am so sorry to hear about your prolonged renovation agony.
I believe an increase in your regular Starbucks routine is in order.
Love the Tuxedo cat!
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I love Fluffy Butt!
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I love that tuxedo cat.
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He’s a hit today. I’ve had him for a while just waiting for that perfect time to make everyone smile!
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It was the perfect time, and I smiled.
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Bright side – no Christmas “stuff” to put away – Dark side – no sink in sight. Let’s hope the new year brings the kitchen to a PERFECT ending and the other projects sliding right into place and (yeah I know – this is a bit “pie in the sky” isn’t it!!)……..well, anyway. Here’s to a brighter new year.
Hugs, Pam
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It’s been cumulative. Although last year we did decorate we were prepping to put the house on the market so there was no baking or “special stuff” for Christmas. I thought this year would be wonderful but it turns out not to be. The kitchen will be worth it. I have to hump through the bouts of self pity and anxiety to get to the other side. Hopefully this time next month will find us at a different spot!
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Jeans that fit are certainly something to celebrate! I’m sorry your kitchen won’t be ready for the holiday, Kate. Maybe it will be ready for a Super Bowl Sunday party on February 13th. Your hubby can pretend the Eagles are playing.
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The jeans were a surprise. I was taking something back to one of our local malls. I stopped in at two stores on impulse and found fitting jeans at both. One is a pair of pull ons. So comfy. The other are traditional jeans that fit at the butt. Hard to find jeans that fit my buttless body and small waist. The Eagles. Sigh!
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What brand are these magical jeans? And from what magic carpet did they arrive? Delivery of anything these days seems bound and determined to vex the person who ordered them. I got a email yesterday from UPS regarding an order I’ve been waiting for that basically said, “we tried but no cigar” so we sent it back to the seller. Argh!!!! The real irritating thing is II get an order from this source every month and have been home to receive it so now I’m behind AND without the products. Tried my derriรจre! Feel free to insert your favorite HBO words here, I ran out of expletives and continue to maintain UPS is in league with the devil.
Hope some sort of holiday magic occurs so your house isn’t a construction zone for too much longer.
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There were two pair of jeans. One was a different line from LL Bean than I have tried before. They are straight leg (which I prefer) but the butt area is a good fit (which often doesn’t happen on straight leg). The other was from Chico’s and it was a pull on jegging style. I always like to have a pair or two of those. Like pj’s. I take a very small size and usually I can’t try on but have to order on-line. In both cases I was lucky. And they both were on sale! Score!
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Well done! My biggest objection to jeans these days is that horrible high waist style. Not only are they uncomfortable for anyone with a long ribcage, they are guaranteed to make one look like an gross with a super unattractive ‘muffin top.’ ๐ While I’m not into jeans that just barely cover my crotch, those that dig into my ribs aren’t much of an alternative. Why can’t there be a happy medium? And just slim, not looking like they were spray painted on.
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The spray paint look! I’m way too old for that! I don’t like a high waist either. Nor a hip hugger style (do they still call them that?) Both of these were around my navel.
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Resting navel I can do. The rest of that stuff seems like a plot from Madison Ave (via Beijing) just to point out faults and age.
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Love the memes Kate. Having worked for in the building trade, I know what it’s like to close for the holidays. Hope you can have a good one though.
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I’ve whined. Now I have to get over it and get on with life. We will make do. We don’t do anything special for Christmas and aren’t expecting visitors. We are working on how to make it special for us. The restaurants aren’t open here so we’ll have to come up with something the day before.
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A picnic on the carpet with finger food!
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Oh dear! The carpets are rolled up! Looks like we’ll dine with my brother. That will work!
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Now that’s what I call a plan!!
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I can’t imagine renovations during the holidays. Of course, I did recently spend four years in a house that was constantly being repaired during holidays. All the best to you. I love the “Butt, Fluffy Butt.”
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This project was started in January. We had issues at every step. No one was timely. The sink has been on order since early July. In the meantime I continue to get other packages that I order in less than a week. Sure wish Jeff Bezos sold kitchen sinks. They are on Amazon but not the one I want and they are third party vendors.
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three… or four…. nothing good happens on a thursday, so we skip this day even when all officec call it the public day… LOL
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Good idea!
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You’ve been driven to become a minimalist. You’ll probably think twice next year about dragging ‘all’ the normal stuff out. I truly hoped your sink would arrive. What a Christmas gift that would have been. Now, we’ll hope for a New Years gift because we don’t even want to think about Valentine’s Day. Maybe you should consider a Go Fund Me Page for extra mochas to get you through the next few weeks. ๐
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Right now this house is anything but minimalist. There are boxes of stuff that belong in kitchen cabinets in every room. A Go Fund Me Page for my mochas sounds about right! ๐
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Congrats on the jeans!
It’s the little things that keep us buoyant . . .
Love Butt, Fluffy Butt ~ Jazz was a tuxedo cat.
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I love it too! My cats have been good therapy!
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I’m trying to think of a silver lining…at least you don’t have the hassle of putting up and taking down a Christmas tree and holiday decorations?
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There is that. I bought a very small poinsettia to put on the coffee table and there is a swag on the front door. That is all there is. We are getting a new mantle but right now there is nothing around the fireplace to put anything on. Decorating is definitely out for this year.
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