Saturday, July 24, 2010

Overgrown Garden

I will apologize for my lack of posts. But I promise I have a good reason. You see, I had a fight with a curb. I've decided to tell all my friends that Ninja's attacked me. So please don't tell them I was just walking and stumbled off of a plain old curb and tried to break my ankle. Pretty please? You see, I've been in a wheelchair and cast for two weeks. Then after another round of xray's and another radiologists opinion, I finally got cleared to walk yesterday! I'm still incredibly sore, bruised, and now my muscles are rejecting walking again for very long. But I'm up and about!

Unfortunately my yard suffered.
So today we went out to give the trees a well deserved trim. This is part way through the process.

Can we play Where's Dan?

I was so sad to learn that only one carrot seeded this year, but was so looking forward to that one carrot. I've babied it's tiny sprout for months. Then today I hobbled out to the garden to see what was left alive and was shocked to see a giant top. I pulled it and gasped in awe at my beautiful carrot.

Then I turned it over :( You know what's the most shocking? Something did not try to eat it. It got so big it split!!! It's a perfectly split open and mutilated carrot! I'm super bummed. Ah well. There's always next year? Stupid curbs.

I did however squeal when I picked my first ripe zucchini!!! I am very very proud of this one! I can't wait to eat it!

My peas are doing really well also.
And on to our other news. Our stove is not working again. 2 weeks ago it just stopped turning on again. Do you remember our horror stories? Well here's a short recap. We bought an Electrolux cook top on sale at Sears. Our countertops were on back order, so we didn't get to install it until after the 90 day warranty. When we installed it, it was defective. I called Electrolux. They gave me a local repair shops info that is certified through them. They made us wait a week for parts, sent a guy out, and he promptly broke the glass on the cooktop. Waited another week for the guy to order a new one, only to break it the second he put it on. Waited 2 weeks screaming furiously at the company that it also didn't turn on anymore again. Contacted the BBB, who finally got them to send a manager out who finally repaired everything. For about 2 months. Then 2 weeks ago it stopped turning on again.
Caught up?
Okay, so this time I call Sears, Ohhhhhh. Nobody told me they had a 1 year repair on every single appliance they sell! Problem is I can't tell them I went through another company, cuz that voids my warranty. So I have to hide how irritated I am. Anyway. They send a tech out, who says... big shocker. We have to wait a week for parts. So we do. Then they send out a guy the following week. He gets here and says what? the parts aren't here? Well I'll reschedule you for next week...... Ugh. The parts get here. We receive a call on the date of our appt that our tech called in sick but they'd send another one out. Fine. She calls much later than our appt and says she's on her way. Fine. an HOUR later we call her like where the heck are you? Oh, I'm not going to come. He only ordered the circuit boards. I've worked on one of these before and that didn't fix the problem. I had to end up ordering all the wiring harnesses and everything too. So I'm just going to do that and reschedule you for another week. Fortunately my hubby made the call. Because the cuss words were flying out of my mouth across the room and since I couldn't walk I was unable to hobble to the phone to chew her out. I mean really? I can't cook! How does nobody understand the importance of food?
Ugh.
Well, she told us she promises if she can't fix it and keep it running they will give us a full refund.
So that's where we are at. We've borrowed a camping stove with 2 teeny tiny burners, and are eating pretty much gross prepackaged microwave dinners. I feel so unhealthy. But hey, I can hardly stand long enough to cook anyway right? That's my silver lining. Sigh.

Wow I wrote a book!!!!! Here's a pic of my battle bruises. From the Ninja's.


Photobucket

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Backsplash!

We started the backsplash this week in the bathroom!
Mr. Brick Ranch spread the Mastic.

Laid some tile.

Got sick of me taking tons of photos.

Backbuttered in some cuts.

Spread some Grout the next morning.

Cleaned the counters.

Lightly sponged, then waited 5 minutes.

And started a slow process of cleaning the excess grout up.

When it was all finished I squealed. Then told him I think we need to do the sides also.

He squirmed at the cuts he'll have to make around the outlets on either side.
Oh but won't it look gorgeous when it's all done? Yesterday we went to The Home Depot and purchased all the supplies to mount the mirrors in the frames and on the walls. So those pics will hopefully be coming up shortly.

My grandparents will be here from Michigan in 8 days. I'm hoping to have a completed bathroom to show them by that time!!!
Photobucket

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Bathroom

We are finally nearing a finish line with the main bathroom! This week I finished painting the ceiling and walls.

Mr. Brick Ranch installed the lighting.
I had a cute idea, and sewed this little cafe curtain, which I think is adorable.

And tonight we installed all of the new towel bars and toilet paper holder. There are two of the hand towel rings by our Jack and Jill sinks.

I can't wait to get the mirrors hung and wish I had some big fluffy brown towels!

Photobucket