May 2007 Archives

So I went out to lunch today with my best girl friends, something we don't get to do very often at all. We went to one of those sort of SnobSea Biddy staid-chic bistro-y places that only serve breakfast and lunch, the kind of breakfast and lunch that require a dictionary of gastronomy to decipher the ingredient list on each menu item. It was great.

The special, which sounded divine, was a crab and shrimp salad with mystery greens and jalapeno cream dressing. And it came with a cup of cold strawberry ginger soup. So, when the waitress came to take my order, naturally I ordered the salmon salad. Because I am losing my mind.

I actually remembered myself saying salmon out loud, so I wasn't too asinine when the wrong salad was delivered. But I didn't really get it until the waiter looked puzzled when I asked after the soup.

I really need to start doing crosswords again, the violin lessons are not staving off alzheimer's all on their own.

And I really wanted the crab and shrimp, too.

The soup was just weird, anyway.

So I am still painting the boys' room. In as much as its mostly done but not so much so that I can remove the painting crap from the house with the expectation of not seeing it again tomorrow.

I hope everyone had a lovely Mother's Day that did not require of them too much behaving as if they are house angels, and reaped tons of chubby-armed hugs. I did. I also spent the day painting a multicolored grid of squares on the big bare wall (really, the only one in this door farm of a house) in the boys' room. It was less odious than it sounds, project-wise, and the fellas' enthusiasm for participation managed to limit itself to coincide with my tolerance for their assistance (they managed to not drive me nuts before wandering off). I thriftily used up lots of my 20 year old art school acrylics (this falls in with the waste not want not post). So the grid was essentially free, except for the mile of painter's tape involved in taping it off (is it biodegradable I hope?). Like I wasn't going to go all anal retentive on the thing.



Having finished the walls, but for the niggling touch-ups I just can't face at the moment, I turned my attention to the doors. Have I complained yet about the pale mauvey-beige the entire interior was coated in? It extends to a somewhat glossy version on the trim and doors. For being a not particularly colorful color, it is a bitch to paint over. Three coats of trim paint on the trim led me to believe that perhaps I should prime the doors in order to not grow old and die painting them. No luck. The evil beige is a paint sinkhole par excellence. The primer Sysguy recommended, while quite effective in its alcohol-based shellac-y way, is very watery, so it was difficult to apply with a brush, foam or otherwise, and also asphyxia-inducing what with the alcohol evaporating in that way it does. Yay! Its looking like I'll still have to put at least two coats of paint over it though. Joy.

Last night was the school open house. I somehow assumed that the computer lab would not have to be open for this, so it was with dismay that I received the news on Tuesday that I would indeed be hosting a soiree of my own. Frantic sorting of the big Miscellaneous Paper Mountian off my desk ensued. You can't believe how incredibly dusty a well-sealed building gets. Don't even ask what I am able to vacuum out of the keyboards. In addition, the teachers, who are delightful and hard-working educators, have various technical difficulties that need attending on the evening of the open house. I enjoy learning new things under duress. At least you'd think so because I seem to arrange things so that's how it happens.

It was nice to see the parents of the children I torture instruct regularly. Some of them were actually interested, which is hopeful. I was amazed to discover that of 22 computers that I set up with various examples of the spiffy educational software we use, 17 of them were redirected to the only non-educational game we play on holidays by the end of the night. Its amazing what the kids know how to find when they want to. And I had to shut the machines off remotely to get people to leave already.

The best part? I got to take home a free pie!

Well, the boys' room is now almost complete. I finally gave up on trying to paint a straight line freehand (I went to art school, I should be able to do this), and used the magic of tape to help me. Its amazing, except for the part where it rips off the new paint it was supposed to protect once you're done. That was only for 5 feet or so. I enjoy painting it over and over again. Really.

I got their beds moved back to their respective corners, so its more like a bedroom where people sleep and less like Camp Stayupallniteyakinawana. This is important, as thing One's attention to his homework is lacking lately.

I am so incredibly pleased with the corner joins between the blues and the white, they're so gratifyingly straight and clean. Unlike anything else in the house. The almost cobalt blue over Thing 1's bed is positively velvety, until he actually touches it, because his mom brilliantly chose to use flat paint. Every impact will show. I've decided to let it go.

Next weekend, painting the doors and touchups. No more thinking about painting between now and then.

I did a more or less ok job on the school newsletter, a bit lateish but its done. Now, to get it copied in time for the regular thursday rollout. Ugh. I have found a delightful replacement in the newsletter editing area. She's even willing to barter her lawyering for some graphic designing. Sweet! And nice when someone doesn't take it for granted that what I do is easy. If it was easy, it wouldn't have a name.

I've knit halfway through the Eden print pullover, and am hitting the boredom threshold, so I've switched back to working on the classic cotton bag for now.

and not a word from me. Things are busy chez kmbrknits. I am in the middle of painting the boys' bedroom, which unfortunately has to start with a good tsp scour and then a prime coat to protect the new paint from god knows what the previous owner used on the walls. If it doesn't slide off in the first year, I'll consider it a success. There turns out to be a layer (or more) of wallpaper on one of the walls, under the mystery paint. We've decided it makes a great insulation at this point, so its staying till the next go-round, or to be someone else's problem.

I've applied magnet paint to strategic areas of this papered wall, hoping against hope that the "strong" magnets recommended won't give the paper that last little bit of incentive to delaminate from itself or the wall or whatever. I wish I could be like the boneheads that painted the house before we bought it, and think nothing of painting over spiderwebs and dust boogers.

Sigh. That peace of mind is never to be mine.

I am currently knitting up a light pullover from the rest of the Madil Eden print that I bought for the fundraiser scarf. Its coming along apace, being mostly stockinette with shaping. Yay!