Saturday, July 18, 2009

six for Saturday

1. I rented a pressure washer last week and cleaned the exterior of the house. I've been wanting to do it ever since I read about it on Kelly's blog, what, last year? Anyway. While I wouldn't necessarily characterize it as fun, it was very satisfying to see all that grime getting washed away.

2. I made meatballs for the very first time this week! I know. Where have I been? (If you must know, I'm not a huge spaghetti fan, due to the many ward dinners I attended as a child where we had mushy spaghetti and jarred sauce. I'm getting over it.) I made Alton's baked meatballs (I think from allrecipes.com), my favorite quick & easy pasta sauce -- but now I have made the very good addition of a dash of crushed red pepper flakes -- and Grandma's French bread. I forgot to make a green vegetable, oops!

3. After the pressure washing, I was ready to paint the front door! Before:

During. I did two coats of Sherwin Williams' Parakeet, but even though I loved the color on the strip, I decided it was a little too bright on the door. I took the paint back and had them add a little more tint. Here, you can see the contrast if you look closely.

After! I finished the last coat last night, and now I officially love it! I am continually amazed by what a fresh coat of paint can do to spruce up my surroundings.

4. We finally got the sprinkler guys back this week to investigate the two big mud puddles we have in the backyard. The city says we have a water leak somewhere, because our meter is constantly running. I'm pretty sure the puddles are related.

Bad news from the sprinkler guys. We already have 4 out of 6 of our sprinkler stations turned off due to major breaks in the system. Now it looks like we will have to have another expensive repair or turn off our sprinklers completely. It bugs me to no end to have a sprinkler system and not be able to use it. Oh, but they did offer to let us save some money by doing some of the labor ourselves -- oh, goody! Hours of digging to look forward to! (did I mention it's 101 degree today??)

5. We had Creative Friday on Wednesday because Jill went on a family campout yesterday. It was a super-productive day! Jill, at least, set a record. I didn't, but I was still pleased with my output. At one point, Jill cracked me up by saying, "It's like a good mail sweatshop!!" Now that's a sweatshop I can get behind.

Do you like the extreme angles that are now required to minimize my chins? Man, I wish I looked like this from straight on...

6. Because of our early Creative Friday, Thursday felt like Saturday, and yesterday and today have felt like bonus days!! I spent some time putting my studio back to rights (everything has been out of the closet and piled up since the flood) -- still more work required, but it's a fun kind of work. I went visiting teaching. I even took a nap, oh so glorious. And now, I'm off to finally touch up the paint in the foyer that's been hanging over my head for, oh about six months...

18 comments:

Miranda said...

Gah! I love your door. I'm always forgetting the green veggie when I make bread with my meal. Curses!

Rebekah said...

That door color is perfect and fresh and exciting. I'm in love with it!

Spaghetti is my favorite meal, but then again, we didn't show up to many ward dinners when I was little;).

Do the sprinklers have to be fixed before you go to France? I guess you don't want to come home to a dead lawn.

I still don't understand how Jill can write so many notes. I have a hard time coming up with even one or two sentences for one person.

Natasha said...

Kim pressure washes for us and I find it very satisfying!! It's amazing what a good pressure wash can do.

I want to come to dinner at your house.

Denise said...

A Good Mail sweatshop--that cracks me up, too! That's a great photo of the two of you. You actually look tan!

Your door is fabulous. Now I want to choose a fresh color for my ugly one.

Amy said...

Oh, be still my heart--I love your door! Very pleasing and satisfying how a bit of paint can make something look completely different and wonderful!

Melinda said...

I love the color of your door. Very cute. I love paint and how it can change things. Paint makes everything better.

Jill said...

I tried to make meatballs once years ago and it didn't go so well, but I am fond of them and should give them another try; perhaps you could give me some pointers to ease the way.

I like the new door color, but still think it's going to take me awhile to get used to the change. I get so used to things being one way that I feel a little panicked when they change.

I'm still giddy about the results of our good mail sweatshop! I can't believe I got all of those cards done. Maybe we should change to Creative Wednesdays (though we'd still call it Creative Friday) if it ends up making Thursday and Friday feel like bonus days of the week.

Kristy said...

I love the color of the new door and the pink flowers! That should give you something to smile about every time you walk in. And something nice to welcome you home after Paris!

Neighbor Jane Payne said...

I love your posts where you catch us up on things in your world, Michelle. I love your door and the dare to be bold.

Good mail sweatshop sounds so appropriate! How funny.

I got a wonderful surprise in the mail today, thank you. Your generosity is so appreciated. Yesterday as I was pulling a recipe out of the recipe box you made me I thought of your time and care and kindness and then to be doubly blessed today by a package, well, sufficeth me to say I am humbled. Thank you, thank you. Your friendship is very much appreciated.

Anonymous said...

I need to do a drive-by...oh that door makes my heart sing! I love using a power washer.

I can not believe you have never made meat balls...try the BBQ ones on the Pioneer Woman site. Oh mama they are good!

Cute cute CUTE picture of you!

Unknown said...

the door makes me GIDDY!!

our sprinkler system worked for approximately 7 weeks after we bought our (just built) home! grrrr!! needless to say, three and a half years later... we're still hosers.

Michelle said...

I absolutely LOVE the door - it is gorgeous!!!

Liz said...

I love how the front door turned out! It looks great with your basket of flowers hanging on it...such a nice contrast.

That totally sucks about the sprinkler system!! What a pain! I think I would just forget it for now...you have better things to do before going to Paris.

Susan said...

I love the door, yet I think that that the original color was awfully cool! I suppose it is that little historic stone house on the way home from work that has me accustomed to it! The parakeet is about the color of hers.

I like yours too.

Dinner sounds good and it does sound like your have had several very productive days! I just can't imagine doing that myself! That would always be Dad's job, thankfully!

Good goin'.

Way cute photo of the two of you.

Amie said...

Your door is so cute. Makes me want to drive by for a peek.

I know what you mean about the chins. I am always happy to get a photo that doesn't show them but then I feel like a liar posting them.... but I just can't come to grips with the reality and can't post the truth either.

Amy said...

I'm dying to pressure wash my house. My husband rolls his eyes whenever I mention it though. It seems like it would seriously be a satisfying task. And the end result of your green door is so fabulous. I love it.

I always add some crushed red pepper to my red sauces ever since I found it in an America's Test Kitchen ziti recipe. I think it makes all the difference. I'll have to try your favorite sauce recipe. I haven't found a favorite red sauce for spaghetti.

Also, I just picked up my mail yesterday and so love the cute tags from you. Thank you so much! I cherished the birthday wishes tags from last year so it's a double joy to have a new supply of lovely tags.

Miranda said...

Okay now I'm all inspired and think that I want to paint my kitchen chairs a new color. I wonder if Parakeet will work of if I'll have to do my own choosing. Dang, I hate doing my own choosing. :)

Bond Girl 007 said...

ohhhhh I love it! Love love love it!

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