Happy Memorial Day

Photo courtsey of Ms Annie Chambers, ocpamidewest

I am a long time bowler and try to go to at least one tournament a year. This year we went to the TNBA tournament in Indianapolis, IN. Long story short, I bowled great averaging about 180 per game, have nothing good to say about the Days Inn hotel we stayed at but hanging out with my teammates was fun as usual. My doubles partner and I were in second place thanks to her 226 scratch game. Way to go Lady B!!. We hope that holds up but if not, we still had a good showing. We also had our share of mishaps such as me only reserving a room for only one night so I had to crash on a friends bed. My teammate lost his keys so we had to turn the bowling alley upside down looking for them only to find them in his bowling bag. ARGHHH!!! My favorite story was of one gent who set something frozen from the hotel mini fridge on top of a wad of cash and it got soaked from the water. He decided to fast track the drying process by putting it in the microwave. Bad idea because it didn't take long for the money to catch fire. Thankfully he only scorched a few bucks but he has a great story to tell his kids on what NOT to put in a microwave oven. So that was my weekend. I had a great time but am glad to be home.

While I was gone I DVR'd one of my favorite cable news shows where the host was discussing a story bout the origin of Memorial Day. I learned that it began after the civil war by freed slaves in Charleston, South Carolina who used a city racetrack that had been converted into a prison and re-buried union soldiers who had been dumped there in an unmarked grave. On May 1, 1865 freed blacks and some whites came to the burial site to lay flowers and commemorate the dead. On May 5, 1868, the day was called Decoration Day and was soon celebrated nationwide. Eventually it was moved to May 30th and in 1862 the name was unofficially changed to Memorial Day. In 1967 the name became official. 

It occurred to me how we take people who serve in the armed services for granted. I have a good friend that served in the Vietnam war. I used to ask him about his days in Vietnam and although he shares some stories  I can tell he holds a lot back. After awhile I stopped asking because I realized there may be things he doesn't want to discuss and I should respect his privacy. Today he counsels vets coming home from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. I think about how the lives of these young men and women will be shaped long after the wars have ended as I know my friend's life was shaped by his time in Vietnam 

I have often thought about sending something to the troops just to let them know that little ole me is thinking of them but I always felt that I had nothing important to offer. As I was writing this I realized how wrong it is to think that way. When all the small things are added together they can make up something big. I cannot make recommendations on how to give back. I don't even know how but I know where to start. Tomorrow I will call my friend to say thanks and let him know how I appreciate all he does. I will also ask him what I can do in my own small way to give back and then follow through. It may not be a lot but it's a start.

Happy Memorial Day to all the troops who have served and are serving. 

Thank you for all you've done.

Dedicated to my pops, Army PFC Felton Thomas

Happy Accidents

After months of trying to decide on what accent tile to use for my bathroom shower I opted for a watery blue glass and marble mosaic tile. They were $12 bucks a sq ft so I could only afford a few sheets. A few days later my contractor and I were all set to install the tile and when I opened the box I realized it was the wrong tile. Oh man! Now I would have to put my project on hold and go back to store to sort it out. Before I did I decided to see how it looked in the bathroom. Good decision, because it looked great. It is at least as beautiful if not more so than what I had previously chosen. It has white frosted and gray glass tiles with marble and silver metallic accents. It tied the grays in well with the white and would work with any color I painted the bathroom. Also, if I remembered correctly, it was a little more expensive than what I had picked. 

I am glad the store made the mistake and chose the tile for me. The lesson I learned with this experience is that you should  always check what you purchase before you leave the store. Second lesson learned was check to see if what you got is at least as good if not better than what you wanted. You could be surprised by the outcome. It worked out well for me this time, but I won't make that mistake again.

                        

Yellow is Mellow

I’ve decided to paint my laundry room yellow. I love this sunny bright color and the way it livens up any room. Finding the right one proved to be a challenge. Just ask my son who partially painted it three times because the color was too lemony or too camel or even too peach. I finally settled on a medium yellow tone that is not too lemony but still bright and sunny. The color changed at different times of day and looked dramatically different from wall to wall so I had to sit with it a couple of days to get used to it. I am happy with what I chose much to my sons delight or should I say relief. I've only partially painted two walls so I don't have any pictures to share with you but I will soon. If you are thinking of painting a room in your home yellow, here are some photos that may inspire you.

Better Homes and Garden

Better Homes and Garden 2012

Elle Decor

Elle Decor

Emily Henderson HGTV

House Beautiful March 2012

Velvet Hammerschmidt HGTV

Metropolitan Home

Chrome Faucets Everywhere

We're starting to wrap things up in the downstairs bathroom so I've been shopping for a chrome faucet. Ever notice when a woman puts on a cute outfit, does her makeup and styles her hair her look is never quite finished until she puts on the jewelry. If she chooses to wear a shiny pair of earrings instantly her face seems brighter and her look is more finished or polished. That's what a chrome faucet does. It finishes the look of your bathroom. It adds sparkle and shine more so than any other finish and really dresses up a bathroom.  

Most faucets are either centerset, wide spread or single handle but there are other styles like wall mounted and waterfall which are mainly used with vessel sinks. They also come in other finishes like bronze and nickel but for me chrome is the best. 

For my bathroom I want to have a little fun with the faucet. I still have to keep a reign on the spending but I don't have to choose a run of the mill crystal handle faucet.  I checked out the local home improvement stores and saw several nice faucets but I wanted to see more and decided to shop on line. OMG!. There are 1001 different manufacturers, finishes and styles to choose from. I felt like Robin Williams in Moscow on the Hudson when he saw all the coffee coffee cans in the grocery store and became overwhelmed.    

                          

I had no idea faucets had come so far and could cost so much. Some of them looked like something out of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Others didn't look like faucets at all but more like sculpture. Here are some of the faucets that caught my eye. 

1. Belle Foret

2. Paul Decorative

3. Aquadis

4. Kohler

5. Brizo

6. Calise

                                     

Single Hole

1. Kraus

2. Delta

3. Jado

4. Jado

5. Fima 

6. Vigo

Widespread

1. American Standard

2. Danze 

3. Price Pfister

4. Delta

I am no where near making a decision but I am having fun shopping. 

B.

Laundry Day

The downstairs bathroom is coming along nicely and I hope to be finished in a few weeks. Right now my son is using my bathroom and I'm sorry to say I don't like to share. The next room I want to work on is the laundry room. I have several projects planned such as a fresh coat of paint, new curtains, better storage, maybe a back splash treatment and certainly a new floor. I’m thinking of installing either ceramic, peel and stick vinyl or linoleum. I may rule out ceramic because of the cost. You can buy ceramic for $1 or less, but you also have to consider the cost of the mortar and grout. The room is about 300 sq. ft. so it would cost between $400 and $500. I don’t think I want to go that road so it will probably be either vinyl or linoleum. I think with a little head start from my contractor I can handle either of these myself. For linoleum I'm considering a  two tone checkerboard pattern either in two shades of gray or gray and white. For the peel and stick I am looking at a stone looking gray. Here are some laundry rooms that have inspired me.

This pale blue color give the room a nice airy feel. The metal shelf supports are a nice idea if you have open shelving. 

Better Homes and Gardens

 This yellow laundry room is so bright and sunny. If you are stuck in the house doing laundry in the middle of winter this room is sure to cheer you up. 

Better Homes and Gardens

 Painting the cabinets a non-white neutral is an interesting idea. The bead board cabinet fronts are nice too. Check out the back splash, I wonder how long that took. 

Better Homes and Gardens

 I like the combination of the gray countertop and white cabinet. The window treatment is lovely too. Is that wood floor really vinyl?

House and Home

The all white room is nice. It's the small details I like such as the green glass knobs, the metal stool, the farmhouse sink and the glass front cabinets. 

The Hampton Designs

 This gray and white checkerboard patterned floor is really crisp.

House and Home

 This color green is so fresh and I like the combination open and closed shelving. My laundry room has a similar layout. 

Style at Home

 I'm looking forward to getting started, but don't have a lot of money to spend. I will have to be patient and keep an eye out for bargains. 

B.