101 in 1001 October Edition

This has been a rather productive painting month. It's definitely a race between me & the weather now, considering it'll be November here in a little while. Apparently I'm just going to have to be bothered with the fact we didn't put in one more tree...but it'll build character I'm sure. At least I hung up a couple more pictures, right? I just have to keep reminding myself that I have 1001 days, not 365...and that it's all about "progress, not perfection".

My (mini) goals for November are:

• #6: To put a $50 bill in the second collection basket (no particular reason, just that I have almost saved up enough to do it)


• #8: Give to the food shelf at least one time--with the Thanksgiving holidays coming up, it seems appropriate to give thanks for what we have and that we can help others.


• #13: Hang up ONE MORE PICTURE. For crying out loud, we have enough pictures in the upstairs storage closet that this should not be a problem. Yet, strangely enough, it is.


• #23: Make a run at painting the Laundry Room. I'm also debating whether to do some beadboard wainscoating or board & batten in there, so it may take a bit. But it'll be cool to see how it turns out.


• #34: Get covers for the grill & firepit. Right now Steve is going to cover them with a tarp, but I'm all about not having to repaint them next summer.


• #37/#38: Of COURSE we're going to the Harry Potter movie, so that'll be an easy one. I'd like to read a couple of classics this month. We'll see.


• #47: Finish this one up. I'm going to need to brush up on my World Geography though.


• #64: If we're going to send a family picture as a Christmas card, we'd better get cracking on actually getting a picture taken, yes?


• #86: I hate trying new food stuff. I really hate trying new restaurants. What if they don't have anything I like to eat? (I can hear my Mom sighing)

So, anyway. Here's where I am now:

In Progress: 12
Done: 17

Finances/Giving (1/12)
1. Get Emergency Fund up to $1000
2. Pay off and close Chase Visa
3. Pay off and close Target Visa
4. Get Emergency Fund up to 3 months (~12,000)
5. Get a used truck
6. Put a $50 bill in the second collection basket
7. Put a $100 bill in the second collection basket
8. Donate to the Food Shelf 10 times ($25 or equivalent) (4/10)
9. Leave a 100% tip 5 times (0/5)
10. Choose 2 kids from the Jesse Tree during Christmas & get them presents
11. Give to a family in need during the holidays
12. Buy a scratch-off lottery ticket & donate 25% of the winnings to charity [Done 18 September 2010]

House Inside (5/12)
13. Hang up 5 pictures (4/5)
14. Frame Tree picture [Done 9 September 2010]
15. Paint back room and closet [Done 13 October 2010]
16. Paint hall storage closet & set up shelves [Done 17 August 2010]
17. Spruce up front door area (outside: welcome mat, flower pots/ inside: bench, mirror, lamp)
18. Finish basement
19. Back door/entryway re-do
20. Repaint & redo my office
21. Hang curtains or blinds in master bedroom & the Kid’s room [Done 18 October 2010]
22. Get dining room chairs
23. Repaint Laundry Room
24. Repaint/redo master bathroom/closet [Done 5 October 2010]

House Outside (1/12)
25. Plant 5 trees in yard (4/5) [4 Blue Spruce planted 7 August 2010]
26. Put in back flower bed
27. Paint Storage Shed same color as house
28. Back entryway outside re-do (transition between steps and red rock)
29. Build garage
30. Put in front flower bed
31. Put in front tower flower bed
32. Put in side flower bed
33. Level out north side of house & put down the decorative rock
34. Get covers for grill & fireplace
35. Get rid of stumps in back yard [Done 28 August 2010]
36. Get a flag for front porch (and install said flag)

To Do/Watch/Read (0/12)
37. Watch 101 movies (10/101)

• October 2010
• The 39 Steps
• Dorian Gray


38. Read 101 books (41/101)

• October 2010
• First Shot by Zoe Sharp
• Extracurricular Murder by Kent Conwell
• Road Kill by Zoe Sharp
• The Swamps of Bayou Teche by Kent Conwell
• The Crystal Skull Murders by Kent Conwell
• Second Shot by Zoe Sharp
• Death in the French Quarter by Kent Conwell
• Third Strike by Zoe Sharp
• The Puzzle of Piri Reis by Kent Conwell
• The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl


39. Go to a Cowboys-Vikings game
40. See 5 Minnesota Tourist Attractions (0/5)
41. Visit 5 art galleries in Minnesota (0/5)
42. Watch all seasons of “24” (0/8)
43. Watch all seasons of “MI-5” (0/9)
44. Complete a crossword puzzle book
45. Watch 5 documentaries (3/5)
46. Read 5 Non-fiction books (0/5)
47. Donate 100, 000 grains of rice on FreeRice.com (14,600/100,000)
48. Do 5 things from the “365 Things to do in the Twin Cities” (1/5)

Health (1/12)
49. Walk to work 30 times (13/30)
50. Bike around the lake
51. 175
52. 165
53. 155
54. 145
55. 135
56. Get eyes checked
57. Get new glasses or contacts
58. Get annual physical [Done 16 September 2010]
59. Do the 200 sit-ups challenge
60. Track my progress with Wii Fit for 28 consecutive days.

Grown-up/Family stuff (0/12)
61. Change life insurance beneficiaries
62. Write wills
63. Write living wills
64. Get family picture taken
65. Send out Christmas cards with aforementioned family picture on it
66. Host Brother/Sister Christmas party
67. Have a family board/card game night 5 times (1/5)
68. Buy a new “grown-up” outfit (shirt/pants)
69. Take a family vacation
70. Make a picture family tree
71. Get first aid certified
72. Get the Kid a car safety kit for her car

Spiritual/Church (2/12)
73. Learn the Rosary Prayers
74. Go to a Latin Mass
75. Go to daily Mass for a week
76. Donate time, talent, or treasure for the CCW Bazaar [Done 1 October 2010]
77. Read the Tao te Ching [Done 18 September 2010]
78. Get a new St Christopher Medal
79. Do the Advent readings and wreath one year
80. Do the Lenten readings one year
81. Do the Rice Bowl project one year
82. Light an intention candle 10 times (2/10)
83. Attend Mass in the Basilica
84. Attend 2 Lenten dinners

Food (6/12)
85. Make a cake & icing (or cupcakes) from scratch [Done 24 July 2010]
86. Try 3 new restaurants (0/3)
87. Do one week of meal planning
88. Do one month of meal planning
89. Eat 1 serving of fruit a day for a week (7/7) [Done 12 July 2010]
90. Try a new recipe [Done 1 October 2010]
91. Make cookies from scratch [Done 23 September 2010]
92. Try a different flavor ice cream (no vanilla/chocolate) [Done 12 August 2010]
93. Limit Diet Coke to 2 servings per day for 1 consecutive week (0/7 days)
94. No fast food for a month
95. Try 5 different kinds of apples (5/5) [Done July 2010]

Just Because (1/5)
96. Donate hair to Locks of Love one more time
97. Take part in a pub quiz
98. Complete a 500+ piece puzzle
99. Fly first class
100. Start a Tumblr [Done 8 July 2010]: http://daughteroftime.tumblr.com
101. Do a 365 day photo challenge

Sammy Cat

Today I had to do one of the hardest things a person has to do: I had to take my sweet Sammy Cat in and have her euthanized. If it's true that pets & their people are alike, there's no doubt that Sammy was definitely my girl. Bad-tempered and cranky, intolerant of stupidity, and with a love of Cheerios and impromptu naps, we were very much in tune.

She was somewhere between 19 & 20 years old, and had a very good life, complete with catnip on demand, and lots of good places to nap.

We got her from a lady Steve worked with in February of 1997, and for almost 14 years, she was my second in command. Her other family gave her up because they said that she was the reason their toddler broke his arm when he fell down the stairs going after her. My guess is that she'd had enough of the kid, and was trying to go find somewhere to hide out. Either way, I'm glad she came into our lives.
At first, she didn't like Steve at all. Perhaps the dad in her other family wasn't very nice to her. In any case, Steve finally won her over by "sharing" (read: having to give her) his chicken, shrimp, hamburger, steak, ice cream, milk, and basically whatever he was eating. I just gave her lots of treats and catnip...and I shared my Cheerios with her every morning.

Samantha Cat was not a lap cat by any stretch of the imagination; affection was to be given on her terms, and on her terms only. Sammy had no problem sleeping on my pillow (she got most of it) at night, nor did she have any problem taking over the majority of our bed. She had a rather extensive and exhausting nap schedule to maintain on a daily basis, and could be found occupying any chair that someone had momentarily vacated. She was under no illusion that we were here for any other purpose than to serve her, and if we fell down on the job, she would be very vocal in her reminders.

Sammy was one of the most beautiful cats I've ever had; her fur had so many shades of brown, I called her my "Spice Cat". Her eyes were outlined with white, her pink nose with black. She had 4 white feet that were quick as lightning when she was smacking someone (she was a lefty for sure), and one of her legs was a pretty shade of orange.

She was also one of the fiercest girls I've had. She would defend her people against all comers, even against big scary dogs. Sammy was also pretty smart. She knew how to open doors (not completely closed ones), knew where the treats were hidden, and knew where people needed to be at any given time during the day. She would sleep behind me on the floor as I did homework for the past 7 years, and would herd me up to bed when she thought I'd stayed up too long. She knew how to tell time quite well--dinnertime is at 5 sharp. If we were late, she would tell us so. Loudly.

This past month has been hard on all of us. She fell off a table (we think) and hurt her hip/leg that had already been giving her trouble. She was basically confined to the living room, where we would bring her dish and water to her. Last week she started talking to us in a different voice, so I knew our time with her was almost up.

Once the shot was given this afternoon, she went quickly and peacefully.

I'm going to miss that fuzzy girl more than words can say. I'm just so glad that I got to be her person for almost 14 years.

So, for all of you who have pets, give them extra love and treats today, and be happy that they are part of your lives and you are their people.

101 in 1001 September Edition

I made much more progress this month than I thought I had. Amazing what not being able to sit still can do for a person.

Through last month, I had done 7.5 things, and had 8 in progress items. This month, the done column goes to 12, and the in progress to 14.

One of my favorites was #12: Buy a scratch-off lottery ticket & donate 25% of the winnings to charity. Now, to fully appreciate this, you have to know that when it comes to scratch-off lottery tickets, I'd be better off tossing my dollar bills out the window of a moving car. My Mom was always pretty lucky with them, but apparently that's not a inheritable skill.

However, I did win. Yes I sure did. $3 whole dollars. So, let's see, 25% of that is...$0.75 cents. I know. Pathetic. I decided to give the whole $3, and match it with $3 of my own and give it to the local food shelf.

I've also been painting every upstairs closet. I just finished the master bedroom closet. It took an entire GALLON of paint by itself. I've also hung up a grand total of TWO pictures. One was the tree picture that the Kid painted 6 years ago, when she was in the 5th grade. I hung it on the wall between her room & our room. The other picture I hung up was of the Oregon coast (Ecola Bay) which was one of my favorite places to go when I lived in Oregon.

My goal for October is to finish up the painting upstairs (the back room and the Kid's bathroom) before Painting Season 2010 gets ended by cruddy weather. I'm also going to see if we can plant another tree because quite frankly, it will bug the everlovin' crap out of me to have #25 be so close to being done and then to have to stare at it ALL WINTER LONG. Why yes, I do have OCD tendencies. Why do you ask?

And now for The Updated List:

Finances/Giving (1/12)
1. Get Emergency Fund up to $1000
2. Pay off and close Chase Visa
3. Pay off and close Target Visa
4. Get Emergency Fund up to 3 months (~12,000)
5. Get a used truck
6. Put a $50 bill in the second collection basket
7. Put a $100 bill in the second collection basket
8. Donate to the Food Shelf 10 times ($25 or equivalent) (1/10)
9. Leave a 100% tip 5 times (0/5)
10. Choose 2 kids from the Jesse Tree during Christmas & get them presents
11. Give to a family in need during the holidays
12. Buy a scratch-off lottery ticket & donate 25% of the winnings to charity [Done 18 September 2010—won $3, but donated $6 to the McLeod County food shelf]

House Inside (2/12)
13. Hang up 5 pictures (1/5)
14. Frame Tree picture [Done 9 September 2010]
15. Paint back room and closet
16. Paint hall storage closet & set up shelves [Done 17 August 2010]
17. Spruce up front door area (outside: welcome mat, flower pots/ inside: bench, mirror, lamp)
18. Finish basement
19. Back door/entryway re-do
20. Repaint & redo my office
21. Hang curtains or blinds in master bedroom & the Kid’s room
22. Get dining room chairs
23. Repaint Laundry Room
24. Repaint/redo master bathroom/closet

House Outside (1/12)
25. Plant 5 trees in yard (4/5) [4 Blue Spruce planted 7 August 2010]
26. Put in back flower bed
27. Paint Storage Shed same color as house
28. Back entryway outside re-do (transition between steps and red rock)
29. Build garage
30. Put in front flower bed
31. Put in front tower flower bed
32. Put in side flower bed
33. Level out north side of house & put down the decorative rock
34. Get covers for grill & fireplace
35. Get rid of stumps in back yard [Done 28 August 2010]
36. Get a flag for front porch (and install said flag)

To Do/Watch/Read (0/12)
37. Watch 101 movies (8/101)
September 2010 (2)
• Hurricane Season
• Kick Ass

38. Read 101 books (31/101)
September (12):

• Hog Wild by Cathy Pickens
• Hush My Mouth by Cathy Pickens
• Spider Bones by Kathy Reichs
• The Mystery of Marie Roget by Edgar Allan Poe
• The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allan Poe
• Skeletons of the Atchafalaya by Kent Conwell
• The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Hard Knocks by Zoe Sharp
• Death in the Distillery by Kent Conwell
• The Picasso Scam by Stuart Pawson
• Vicksburg by Kent Conwell
• The Ying On Triad by Kent Conwell

39. Go to a Cowboys-Vikings game
40. See 5 Minnesota Tourist Attractions (0/5)
41. Visit 5 art galleries in Minnesota (0/5)
42. Watch all seasons of “24” (0/8)
43. Watch all seasons of “MI-5” (0/9)
44. Complete a crossword puzzle book
45. Watch 5 documentaries (0/5)
46. Read 5 Non-fiction books (0/5)
47. Donate 100, 000 grains of rice on FreeRice.com (0/100,000)
48. Do 5 things from the “365 Things to do in the Twin Cities” (1/5)

Health (1/12)
49. Walk to work 30 times (7/30)
50. Bike around the lake
51. 175
52. 165
53. 155
54. 145
55. 135
56. Get eyes checked
57. Get new glasses or contacts
58. Get annual physical [Done 16 September 2010]
59. Do the 200 sit-ups challenge
60. Track my progress with Wii Fit for 28 consecutive days.

Grown-up/Family stuff (0/12)
61. Change life insurance beneficiaries
62. Write wills
63. Write living wills
64. Get family picture taken
65. Send out Christmas cards with aforementioned family picture on it
66. Host Brother/Sister Christmas party
67. Have a family board/card game night 5 times (1/5)
68. Buy a new “grown-up” outfit (shirt/pants)
69. Take a family vacation
70. Make a picture family tree
71. Get first aid certified
72. Get the Kid a car safety kit for her car

Spiritual/Church (1/12)
73. Learn the Rosary Prayers
74. Go to a Latin Mass
75. Go to daily Mass for a week
76. Donate time, talent, or treasure for the CCW Bazaar
77. Read the Tao te Ching [Done 18 September 2010]
78. Get a new St Christopher Medal
79. Do the Advent readings and wreath one year
80. Do the Lenten readings one year
81. Do the Rice Bowl project one year
82. Light an intention candle 10 times (1/10)
83. Attend Mass in the Basilica
84. Attend 2 Lenten dinners

Food (5/12)
85. Make a cake & icing (or cupcakes) from scratch [Done 24 July 2010]
86. Try 3 new restaurants (0/3)
87. Do one week of meal planning
88. Do one month of meal planning
89. Eat 1 serving of fruit a day for a week (7/7) [Done 12 July 2010]
90. Try a new recipe
91. Make cookies from scratch [Done 23 September 2010]
92. Try a different flavor ice cream (no vanilla/chocolate) [Done 12 August 2010]
93. Limit Diet Coke to 2 servings per day for 1 consecutive week (0/7 days)
94. No fast food for a month
95. Try 5 different kinds of apples (5/5) [Done July 2010]

Just Because (1/5)
96. Donate hair to Locks of Love one more time
97. Take part in a pub quiz
98. Complete a 500+ piece puzzle
99. Fly first class
100. Start a Tumblr [Done 8 July 2010]: http://daughteroftime.tumblr.com
101. Do a 365 day photo challenge

Walking the Walk

Today was just one of those odd days. Heck, this week has been one of those weeks, and it's only Tuesday (soon to be Wednesday).

So, here's the deal. A week and a half ago, I went to Target to get some things to continue working on the various home projects I have going. I got some more paint tray liners so I could maybe use one for primer, one for color, and have one to spare. Target has a 3-pack for about $2.75ish, so I get one...or so I thought.

Later in the week, when I was cleaning up my staging area, I noticed that I had inadvertently gotten 2 3-packs because they were stuck together. I checked my receipt, and saw that I'd only paid for one. Damn.

I went to a different Target earlier this week to return something else, and asked whether I needed to bring the extra 3-pack in, or if I could just pay for them. The cashier looked at me like I was nuts and told me that she didn't know, but that I should probably go back to the Target I'd gotten them from. Really? Well, OK.

Tonight I took the 2 3-packs plus my receipt to yet a different Target and explained what had happened. The nice lady looked at me, perplexed. I offered to pay for the extra set, considering I'd had them for a week, but it ended up that since I didn't actually want them, I could just give them back. As she was taking the one 3-pack to put into the returns cart, she looked at me oddly and said (kind of like I was a big dummy), "You know, most people wouldn't have even bothered to bring these back. Um, thanks for being honest."

Uh.

I never know what to think about this kind of thing.

It was a mistake on both my and the original cashier's parts--mine for not being careful enough to make sure I had only one, and then not checking my receipt right away, and the cashier's for not making sure to ring up both. But two wrongs don't necessarily make a right, kind of like the saying goes.

Also, my kid was with me. What kind of example am I setting if I say, "Wooo! Their mistake!! I get to keep this for free!!!"? Is there some kind of dollar limit at which this becomes OK? (No) Am I that odd for returning it and offering to pay? (Apparently) Would I do it this way again? (Absolutely) Is this the kind of action that she'll remember and emulate herself? (More than likely)

The whole thing made me think about personal values and the moral grey area in a way I haven't for awhile, not in a meaningful way, anyhow. It was the right thing to do, though, and even as odd as the Target employee (and my husband, and a family friend) thought I was for doing it, I'm glad I did.

101 in 1001 August Roundup

I'm not sure why, but I seem to have a greater sense of urgency to get this list done quicker than I did the last one. I keep thinking it's more like a 365 day list, rather than a 1001 day list...which is fine, I guess, because I'll be more motivated to get it done.

I also find it interesting that the food section is going so quickly. Considering how not apt I am to experiment with food, I thought that section would be more challenging.


Finances/Giving (0/12)
1. Get Emergency Fund up to $1000
2. Pay off and close Chase Visa
3. Pay off and close Target Visa
4. Get Emergency Fund up to 3 months (~12,000)
5. Get a used truck
6. Put a $50 bill in the second collection basket
7. Put a $100 bill in the second collection basket
8. Donate to the Food Shelf 10 times ($25 or equivalent) (1/10)
9. Leave a 100% tip 5 times (0/5)
10. Choose 2 kids from the Jesse Tree during Christmas & get them presents
11. Give to a family in need during the holidays
12. Buy a scratch-off lottery ticket & donate 25% of the winnings to charity

House Inside (1.5/12)
13. Hang up 5 pictures
14. Frame Tree picture
15. Paint back room and closet
16. Paint hall storage closet & set up shelves [Done 17 August 2010]
17. Spruce up front door area (outside: welcome mat, flower pots/ inside: bench, mirror, lamp)
18. Finish basement
19. Back door/entryway re-do
20. Repaint & redo my office
21. Hang curtains or blinds in master bedroom & the Kid’s room
22. Get dining room chairs
23. Repaint Laundry Room
24. Repaint/redo master bathroom/closet

House Outside (1/12)
25. Plant 5 trees in yard (4/5) [4 Blue Spruce planted 7 August 2010]
26. Put in back flower bed
27. Paint Storage Shed same color as house
28. Back entryway outside re-do (transition between steps and red rock)
29. Build garage
30. Put in front flower bed
31. Put in front tower flower bed
32. Put in side flower bed
33. Level out north side of house & put down the decorative rock
34. Get covers for grill & fireplace
35. Get rid of stumps in back yard [Done 28 August 2010]
36. Get a flag for front porch (and install said flag)

To Do/Watch/Read (0/12)
37. Watch 101 movies (6/101)
August (2):
• Smokin’ Aces
• The Other Guys

38. Read 101 books (18/101)
August (8):
• Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris
• Done Gone Wrong by Cathy Pickens
• Sand and Foam by Kahil Gibran
• Mama Rides Shotgun by Deborah Sharp
• Strip Jack by Ian Rankin
• Give it Up! My Year of Living With Less by Mary Carlomagno
• Riot Act by Zoe Sharp
• The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

39. Go to a Cowboys-Vikings game
40. See 5 Minnesota Tourist Attractions (0/5)
41. Visit 5 art galleries in Minnesota (0/5)
42. Watch all seasons of “24” (0/8)
43. Watch all seasons of “MI-5” (0/9)
44. Complete a crossword puzzle book
45. Watch 5 documentaries (0/5)
46. Read 5 Non-fiction books (0/5)
47. Donate 100, 000 grains of rice on FreeRice.com (0/100,000)
48. Do 5 things from the “365 Things to do in the Twin Cities” (1/5)

Health (0/12)
49. Walk to work 30 times (2/30)
50. Bike around the lake
51. 175
52. 165
53. 155
54. 145
55. 135
56. Get eyes checked
57. Get new glasses or contacts
58. Get annual physical
59. Do the 200 sit-ups challenge
60. Track my progress with Wii Fit for 28 consecutive days.

Grown-up/Family stuff (0/12)
61. Change life insurance beneficiaries
62. Write wills
63. Write living wills
64. Get family picture taken
65. Send out Christmas cards with aforementioned family picture on it
66. Host Brother/Sister Christmas party
67. Have a family board/card game night 5 times (1/5)
68. Buy a new “grown-up” outfit (shirt/pants)
69. Take a family vacation
70. Make a picture family tree
71. Get first aid certified
72. Get the Kid a car safety kit for her car

Spiritual/Church (0/12)
73. Learn the Rosary Prayers
74. Go to a Latin Mass
75. Go to daily Mass for a week
76. Donate time, talent, or treasure for the CCW Bazaar
77. Read the Tao te Ching
78. Get a new St Christopher Medal
79. Do the Advent readings and wreath one year
80. Do the Lenten readings one year
81. Do the Rice Bowl project one year
82. Light an intention candle 10 times (1/10)
83. Attend Mass in the Basilica
84. Attend 2 Lenten dinners

Food (4/12)
85. Make a cake & icing (or cupcakes) from scratch [Done 24 July 2010]
86. Try 3 new restaurants (0/3)
87. Do one week of meal planning
88. Do one month of meal planning
89. Eat 1 serving of fruit a day for a week (7/7) [Done 12 July 2010]
90. Try a new recipe
91. Make cookies from scratch
92. Try a different flavor ice cream (no vanilla/chocolate) [Done 12 August 2010] (I had Ben & Jerry’s Boston Cream Pie…not too bad)
93. Limit Diet Coke to 2 servings per day for 1 consecutive week (0/7 days)
94. No fast food for a month
95. Try 5 different kinds of apples (5/5) [Done July 2010]

Just Because (1/5)
96. Donate hair to Locks of Love one more time
97. Take part in a pub quiz
98. Complete a 500+ piece puzzle
99. Fly first class
100. Start a Tumblr [Done 8 July 2010]: http://daughteroftime.tumblr.com
101. Do a 365 day photo challenge


For September I'm going to be focusing on getting things painted while I can leave the windows open. I have all winter to sort through things and spiff everything up, which I now have the time to actually do. I also figure I'll have plenty of time during the winter to watch things, since I'm definitely not fond of playing in the snow (it's because my socks get wet, which makes me cranky).

Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler

Photo from: GOOD, New Orleans Issue Submissions:

Six-Word Motto for New Orleans

You know how some places call to you, even if you’ve never been there (at least not in this lifetime)? New Orleans is one of those places for me. To be specific, pre-Katrina New Orleans.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not romanticizing the place, nor do I think that New Orleans is only about Mardi Gras, loud raucous streets, good times, and tourists. I know that there were, and are, plenty of problems that are glossed over, and there’s a side of the place that not many get to see.

Even so, there’s just something about the place that whispered to my soul, and sometimes I wish I would have listened and heeded the call.

In the spring of 2005, as I was graduating with my Associates degree, I was contemplating where to transfer for my Baccalaureate degree, and ultimately my Masters degree. I was being recruited by a few Minnesota colleges and universities, and being offered some pretty sweet deals. There were a couple of out-of-state universities who were sending me information too, which was a surprise, considering I'd never contacted them. One out-of-state place was Tulane University, which offered me what amounted to almost a complete full ride. The catch, of course, was that we’d have to relocate to New Orleans.

At the time, Steve was working from home, so he could have gone anywhere, just so long as there was an internet connection and phone lines. We seriously discussed moving later in the summer so that I could go to Tulane, but in the end decided against it because it would be too far from his family, with whom he is very close.

It turned out to be a very good choice.

Today marks the 5-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina making landfall in Louisiana, Mississippi, and all along the Gulf Coast. If we had moved, we would have been there for about 2 weeks prior to that. Judging by how not-smoothly our previous moves have been, everything would still have been in chaos, and mostly in boxes. We would have lost most everything. I look at the news footage from then and my heart just aches. I can’t even begin to get my head around what those who rode out the storm went through. I was very alarmed at the ferocity of the storm when my family was caught in the edge of a tornado this summer, and all I had to worry about was whether or not the car was going to flip over. Compared to those who were there when the full force of Katrina hit, we got off easy.

So much was lost: lives, houses, belongings, faith, and some of that intangible essence which made New Orleans just one of those special places. Although some rebuilding has taken place with more to come, I know that it won’t ever be the same.

Yet, sometimes when I stop and listen, I can still hear her siren song calling me.

The Storage Closet of Doom

Of course I didn't take a before picture. I was too focused on getting everything OUT so I could do what I do best--paint.

But aside from the bed & the chair, here's what all was in it. It was a whole lot, although it doesn't look like it in the picture:





Then it was time to pick paint colors. I thought a cheery blue was in order. Um, NO.



This was too OMG!!!! BLUE!!!!!! and needed toned down. So I mixed a quart of white with the blue and got omg blue!!!! instead:



At this point, I decided a nice off-white would be good. It's actually a light tan (according to the Kid) and blends well with the existing hallway color, which Steve was a little perplexed about.



Then it was time for the bracing. I learned how to use a chop saw and a stud finder. I like the chop saw. I'm not so fond of the stud finder, but that may have more to do with how the drywall was installed. We started off with 2 shelves and then thought, "What the hell. Let's add a 3rd because we can." We had to add the weird smaller pieces so the shelf brackets would be level, because apparently that's important.



Installing the shelf brackets were a pain in my ass. But, they got done using 5/16" x 1 1/2" lag bolts. Those shelves aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Steve cut the shelves for me while I was out and about earlier this week, and I piled stuff back in last night, and marked #16. Paint hall storage closet & set up shelves as DONE.




The next closet is already emptied and ready to be painted. I have a feeling it won't take nearly as long. One hopes...