The Work Has Begun!

Yesterday. Today! Oh my!

Great Ocean Road

Okay, I know I just wrote yesterday how amazing life is so full of surprises and not sure how much more I could take....and apparently it's still an open question. After a very long day I come home to an amazing present from Down Under! The kind of lavish photography that I can just spend hours and hours pouring over! And I will. As with the travel log and even the wrapping paper. Thank You, Rod! Closer than I think, eh?

New Poetry Journal: Cruel Garters

I am wondering just how much more magical my life can become. I got this wonderful first edition of a new poetry journal called Cruel Garters out of the blue. One of the editors is a longtime acquaintance, so it's not completely without explanation, but I never knew he was a devotee of poetry. Awesome. And when I think about the range and depth of the lives my friends lead...It's just beyond awesome.

What I'm Watching #298

Watched tis interesting little film. I like that the director has an eye for story telling that is not dependent on dialogue. You feel like you get to know the characters, and then you doubt what you thought.

Vertical Gardens From Garbage--Groovy!

Something awesome from the design firm Rosenbaum of Brazil. You can check out the design specs for yourself, but brush off your Portuguese first!

My Fridge

What's in your refrigerator?

Preparing For The New Fence

Made this cut in the old fence so my neighbor and I can prune back part of his crab apple that has grown into and through the existing fence. The hope is that our correction will prove less radical than the guys from the fence company. The new fence follows a new survey of the lot and ends up returning about three feet of yard width to my other neighbors. Making right what was made wrong by the previous owner.

Cookbookissima

Just got this new cookbook. Love IT!

Pride Birthdays and Memorials for the Week ~ March 10th to 17th

Early Signs of Spring

Gustave Caillebotte Appreciation

From his paintings to contemporary homage of it--love it.

Pride Birthdays and Memorials for the Week ~ March 3rd to 9th

Modern Family Meme

More Renovations: A New Fence

Up-grade #2 has been initiated. I signed the contract on a new fence around my yard. It will be an all wooden, verticle board and batten with a spindle top like this one only the posts will be a natural wood, too. The fence will stop at the back edge of my sunroom on the north side of my home and feature an arbor entrance with a solid gate/door. On the south side the new fence will come forward the entire length of the garage stopping flush with the front of the garage and contain a simple gate/door there. A third 6' tall gate/door will be placed in the back corner of the yard to allow for egress from the property in that direction. The height along the back will be 6' and along the sides 5'. The construction will take place sometime after the 13th of March.

Kitchen Renovation Update: Flooring

Given the choice of a richer, darker cabinet, I am wanting a lighter wood laminate flooring. Something between the Pacific Pine on the left and the Alpine Elm on the Right.

Kitchen Renovation Update: Light Fixture

It's a small thing in some ways, but also a unifying thing when considering the whole package. It's the ceiling light. I chose this one by Quoizel which I was able to purchase at Annapolis Lighting for 40% off of their already 20% discount. Ergo, I got a $250 fixture for $120. Sometimes timing really does matter.

Kitchen Renovation Update: Cabinets

The cabinets will be custom made, cherry with a reddish "Paprika" finish in a style called Tolani from the cabinet shop Merillat. I like the simple, clean design. Modern, yet classically American. To force the modern aspect, I have chosen a stainless steel "bar" style by Liberty.

Kitchen Renovation Up-date: Appliances

The contract has been signed and the cabinets have been ordered. Hopefully by mid-March the work will commence and by early April, I will have a modern kitchen. In the meantime, the dreaming continues! For the Dishwasher, Double Range and Microwave/Hood I'm looking at Frigidaire's Gallery series. A leading manufacturer of up-scale homes in the region uses these appliances in the homes. Consumer reports rates them Excellent to Very Good on most performance aspects. The double range is particularly intriguing to me as I use an oven often in preparing meals. This one is electric (as I have not gas line in my kitchen) and features ovens of different sizes, which I feel gives me more possibilities than two medium sized spaces. The four heating elements come with a total of 6 options and there is a fifth element for warming items. The only appliance not in the Frigidaire line is the Refrigerator! That's odd, eh? This Electrolux model comes with an optimal capacity given my limited space (counter depth of 28") and lovely details like gliding chillers and shelves. Also it is well rated by Consumer reports.

Pride Birthdays and Memorials for the Week ~ February 24th to March 2nd

What's In Your Wallet?

What I'm Watching #297

Another film watched was "Weekend". A very intense and authentic film. I really found it compelling. I would recommend it to everyone.

What I'm Watching #296

More movies to watch this weekend. Magic Mike. Nothing special. The best moment in the entire film occurs in the first three minutes when Tatum Channing gets out of bed naked and walks away from the camera! God never made a more perfect set of man ass-cheeks. As to the rest of the film--ho hum. No fan of Matthew McConaughy, not enough of Matt Bomer. And where was the story? Sap like "The Notebook" only with a little nudity. Was that the pitch to the network executives?

What I'm Watching #295

It's a movie weekend. Just watched "Going Down In LA LA Land" another in the present series of gay themed films by Caspar Andreas. I liked it. Matthew Ludwinski and Allison Lane are delightful in the leads. No Andreas film would be complete without both him and Jesse Archer in some role. Cameos by Perez Hilton and Alex Mapa add to the fun. Have a kleenex ready.

What I'm Watching #294

Saw this very odd and, well, QUIRKY, film tonight. Actors were asked to understate their performances all around. Storyline interesting and slow. Oscar material? Maybe the director...but not so much...

Pride Birthdays and Memorials for the Week ~ February 17th to 23rd

Re-Authorization Of The Defense Against Women Act In The Senate

Republicans Believe That WOMEN ARE SECOND CLASS CITIZENS. Wake up America!

Dolphin Triskelion

Created for my friend who loves mythical/Celtic things and dolphins.

Today's Sermon: Random Quote #151

Snap Shot 12

Twelve snap shots of the United States least appealing facts: Judging states by murder rates, larceny, infant mortality, educational spending and attainment, access to a doctor, income, home foreclosures, unemployment, literacy, psychological depression, and toxic waste.

Fourteen states failed to make any of the lists: Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont and Virginia.

The Bottom of the list belongs to: Mississippi, California, Nevada, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma & Texas.

Pride Birthdays and Memorials for the Week ~ February 10th to 16th

Veggie Games~

Pride Birthdays and Memorials for the Week ~ February 3rd to 9th