Friday, December 18, 2009
Welcome Olivia June McCall!
Justin's brother, Darren, and Darren's wife, Cortney, welcomed their daughter to the world this morning! Miss Olivia June McCall weighed 7 lbs, 4 oz. I will post pictures as soon as I get some. Congratulations to the proud grandparents, too!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thai Chili
Justin and I decided to eat at Thai Chili last weekend. For some reason, I've really gotten into spicy food lately and Thai food is usually my choice. Thai Chili is located in a shopping center on Briarcliff Road near it's intersection with Lavista Road. This is also the same center that houses my beloved Artuzzi's and is across the street from Whole Foods. We visit Whole Foods nearly every weekend, so we drive by Thai Chili frequently.
This seems to be a popular restaurant because they were fairly busy on Saturday night. The atmosphere was pleasant and wasn't terribly loud when we were there. They also seem to do a lot of take-out orders because several people picked up orders while we were eating.
A lot of the items on the menu sounded appealing to me, but I decided to try the Spicy Veggie Shrimp (Spicy Veggie Chicken with shrimp instead of chicken). Justin had the Spicy Basil Leaves with chicken. The entrees were served with a small order of steamed white rice. Both of our entrees were designated as spicy with two chili peppers on the menu, which means they were pretty hot. We tolerated the spices, but both had runny noses and clear sinuses when we left.
The service was good and the restaurant seemed clean. The prices were good and the food was delicious. I'm sure we'll visit Thai Chili again. They had a wine menu, but neither of us ordered anything other than water and diet soda.
This seems to be a popular restaurant because they were fairly busy on Saturday night. The atmosphere was pleasant and wasn't terribly loud when we were there. They also seem to do a lot of take-out orders because several people picked up orders while we were eating.
A lot of the items on the menu sounded appealing to me, but I decided to try the Spicy Veggie Shrimp (Spicy Veggie Chicken with shrimp instead of chicken). Justin had the Spicy Basil Leaves with chicken. The entrees were served with a small order of steamed white rice. Both of our entrees were designated as spicy with two chili peppers on the menu, which means they were pretty hot. We tolerated the spices, but both had runny noses and clear sinuses when we left.
The service was good and the restaurant seemed clean. The prices were good and the food was delicious. I'm sure we'll visit Thai Chili again. They had a wine menu, but neither of us ordered anything other than water and diet soda.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Update
Justin and I spent the weekend dealing with the break-in issues. Our main goal this weekend was to get the door replaced. We purchased a new door at Home Depot on Saturday and arranged for a contractor to install it on Sunday. We also researched door hardware and purchased a new set that is supposed to be very durable and nearly impossible to kick-in. Our goal is to replace the hardware on all the exterior doors.
We also purchased a door reinforcement plate that adds extra protection against kick-ins and door hardware failure. If we had installed this before the break-in, it probably would have prevented the people from getting in. I'll try to post some photos of the new door and hardware. It looks nice.
( Photo source)
We also purchased a door reinforcement plate that adds extra protection against kick-ins and door hardware failure. If we had installed this before the break-in, it probably would have prevented the people from getting in. I'll try to post some photos of the new door and hardware. It looks nice.
( Photo source)Friday evening, Justin noticed one of the slots in our knife block on the counter was empty. This wasn't extremely odd. He began looking in the sink, drawers, dishwasher, and anywhere else the knife could be. He never found it. This discovery really disturbed both of us. The people broke into our house and grabbed a knife from our kitchen. Thoughts have raced through our mind. What if someone had been at the house when this happened? What if one of us had gone home for a few minutes and discovered the robbery in progress? The thought is nauseating.
We are in contact with an alarm company and will have that installed very soon. This is something we researched shortly after purchasing the house, but decided to postpone.
It was also discovered that a bowl of change was missing from one of the bedrooms. Nothing big, but it does show they "plundered" through that bedroom in addition to going through our master bedroom.
I am so glad no one was injured and that the tv was the only thing of any value that was stolen. The door wasn't cheap to replace, but we replaced it and have made some changes to hopefully protect ourselves and our home. We also spent some time this weekend cleaning. It's hard to explain, but I feel like the house is dirty now. I wiped down anything I know they touched, but it still doesn't feel "right". I also noticed the Christmas tree was rotated. Why did they move our Christmas tree?!
We also realized we need to write down serial numbers for anything of any value in the house. This will help identify any stolen items in the event they are recovered. We're also having a hard time wanting to replace the tv. Why buy another one that could be stolen, too? Justin called several pawn shops in the area on Friday and he and I visited several on Saturday. I guess our tv is really gone.
I never imagined a simple break-in could cause us to feel this way. Our house is supposed to be our safe place, our haven, a place to relax and unwind.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Tis the season to be...
Jolly? Merry? Robbed? Yep. Our house in Atlanta was robbed yesterday.
Justin and I were on the phone yesterday evening as he drove home from work. I was at Mama's in Nashville and she and I were eating supper. When he arrived at the house, he made some noise and I asked him if he was ok. He kind of stuttered and then said, "Geez! I'm really freaked out right now." I asked him what was wrong and he said the side door under the carport was open. That was odd because he's the only one at the house this week and he wouldn't have left the door wide open. He went back to his car and locked the doors. I encouraged him to go in and see if the television in the living room was missing. He said he just wasn't comfortable going in alone so he called Angie and her husband, Travis (Justin works with Angie) since they live fairly close to us.
He called me back after a few minutes and said Angie and Travis just left and the police were there. Our house had in fact been broken into. After the policeman made sure the house wasn't still occupied, he and Justin walked through to note what was obviously missing. Our television was obviously gone. Justin initially thought my camera and one of his Guitar Hero guitars were missing, but I told him where to find both of those items. Justin's computer and monitor were untouched.
It was obvious all the rooms were entered. Our bedroom was somewhat ransacked. There were items from our nightstands that had been gone through and thrown on the floor. The dresser in our bedroom came from my grandparents' house. Due to it being unused for several years, it was a little musty. A couple of months ago, we sprinkled some baking soda in all the drawers to give it a fresh smell. We haven't been using it so luckily nothing was taken from it. The policeman asked about the white powder (baking soda) in the drawers and Justin explained to him what it was.
The police, Justin, and I are all surprised the robber(s) didn't enter through the back doors. Why go through one of the most visible doors in the house when you're breaking in? Why did they take the television but leave the DVD player, Ipod docking station, and Xbox 360 that were all with the television?
Justin said it appears the robber(s) kicked the metal door repeatedly until it eventually bent and the deadbolt lock shattered. He called around last night to get it repaired, but that didn't work. He beat the door with a hammer until it would close and then went to Lowe's to buy a new lock. He begged a lady at the door to let him in because they were closed. He was apparently pitiful enough because he got in. He put a new deadbolt on the door so it was atleast somewhat secure for the night.
I hated not being there with him and helping him. I thought about driving up last night, but I knew there really wasn't much I could do. Justin and I were in constant contact with each other for a few hours. I really want to get up there and clean. It's kind of hard to explain, but I feel somewhat violated. Someone I don't know was in my house and touched my things. It's a weird feeling.
I know things could have been much worse and Justin and I are so fortunate that our television was the only thing stolen. The policeman said that he has worked our part of Dekalb for four to five years and he never gets calls to our area. He said this kind of stuff happens more often around Christmas and when the economy gets like it is now.
Justin and I were on the phone yesterday evening as he drove home from work. I was at Mama's in Nashville and she and I were eating supper. When he arrived at the house, he made some noise and I asked him if he was ok. He kind of stuttered and then said, "Geez! I'm really freaked out right now." I asked him what was wrong and he said the side door under the carport was open. That was odd because he's the only one at the house this week and he wouldn't have left the door wide open. He went back to his car and locked the doors. I encouraged him to go in and see if the television in the living room was missing. He said he just wasn't comfortable going in alone so he called Angie and her husband, Travis (Justin works with Angie) since they live fairly close to us.
He called me back after a few minutes and said Angie and Travis just left and the police were there. Our house had in fact been broken into. After the policeman made sure the house wasn't still occupied, he and Justin walked through to note what was obviously missing. Our television was obviously gone. Justin initially thought my camera and one of his Guitar Hero guitars were missing, but I told him where to find both of those items. Justin's computer and monitor were untouched.
It was obvious all the rooms were entered. Our bedroom was somewhat ransacked. There were items from our nightstands that had been gone through and thrown on the floor. The dresser in our bedroom came from my grandparents' house. Due to it being unused for several years, it was a little musty. A couple of months ago, we sprinkled some baking soda in all the drawers to give it a fresh smell. We haven't been using it so luckily nothing was taken from it. The policeman asked about the white powder (baking soda) in the drawers and Justin explained to him what it was.
The police, Justin, and I are all surprised the robber(s) didn't enter through the back doors. Why go through one of the most visible doors in the house when you're breaking in? Why did they take the television but leave the DVD player, Ipod docking station, and Xbox 360 that were all with the television?
Justin said it appears the robber(s) kicked the metal door repeatedly until it eventually bent and the deadbolt lock shattered. He called around last night to get it repaired, but that didn't work. He beat the door with a hammer until it would close and then went to Lowe's to buy a new lock. He begged a lady at the door to let him in because they were closed. He was apparently pitiful enough because he got in. He put a new deadbolt on the door so it was atleast somewhat secure for the night.
I hated not being there with him and helping him. I thought about driving up last night, but I knew there really wasn't much I could do. Justin and I were in constant contact with each other for a few hours. I really want to get up there and clean. It's kind of hard to explain, but I feel somewhat violated. Someone I don't know was in my house and touched my things. It's a weird feeling.
I know things could have been much worse and Justin and I are so fortunate that our television was the only thing stolen. The policeman said that he has worked our part of Dekalb for four to five years and he never gets calls to our area. He said this kind of stuff happens more often around Christmas and when the economy gets like it is now.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Happy Birthday, Annabelle!
Today is Annabelle's fifth birthday. She is such a sweet dog and I'm so glad she's part of our family.
Annabelle loves attention and enjoys a belly rub more than anything in the world. She gets a little jealous when I give Pete attention, but I think it's just because she's afraid she's going to miss something. The night before Thanksgiving, my mother and I were working fast and furiously in the kitchen until the wee hours of the morning. Annabelle was under our feet most of the time (except for those few minutes when she escaped through the open garage door and I was chasing her down the previously quiet street screaming like a mad woman at 10:30 p.m. running as fast as I could in flip-flops). You could tell she was exhausted and just wanted to sleep, but refused to go to bed because she might miss something.
I hope to be able to take Annabelle and Pete to the Dairy Queen in Nashville soon to make up for their missed birthday treats from last year and this year. I don't think I'll try that tonight since they just opened yesterday and the line was unbelievable. We'll probably enjoy a cupcake at home tonight.
Annabelle loves attention and enjoys a belly rub more than anything in the world. She gets a little jealous when I give Pete attention, but I think it's just because she's afraid she's going to miss something. The night before Thanksgiving, my mother and I were working fast and furiously in the kitchen until the wee hours of the morning. Annabelle was under our feet most of the time (except for those few minutes when she escaped through the open garage door and I was chasing her down the previously quiet street screaming like a mad woman at 10:30 p.m. running as fast as I could in flip-flops). You could tell she was exhausted and just wanted to sleep, but refused to go to bed because she might miss something.
I hope to be able to take Annabelle and Pete to the Dairy Queen in Nashville soon to make up for their missed birthday treats from last year and this year. I don't think I'll try that tonight since they just opened yesterday and the line was unbelievable. We'll probably enjoy a cupcake at home tonight.
This photo was taken the first night Annabelle came to live with us. She and Pete were so excited!
This is our typical Annabelle. She's always so happy!
Annabelle is posing on Justin's new rug. Naughty girl!
Miss Annabelle LOVES rolling around in the grass and dirt. Our friend, Grant, took this photo of Anne in our yard in Tifton. Annabelle also enjoys digging holes. She'll come in the house with a completely black snout. Her bath water is always a little muddy when I'm finished bathing her.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Instant Friend
Justin and I have decided to eat healthier food and count calories. Moe's is one of our favorite quick bite restaurants because it's quick, fairly inexpensive, and not the most unhealthy food we could find. I sometimes order the Instant Friend quesadilla. It is a regular cheese quesadilla with beans and sauteed green peppers, onions, and mushrooms. It is served with salsa and sour cream. I always get it with black beans and no mushrooms. It is very yummy, but I'm sure it's not low in calories. Justin stays away from flour tortillas because they usually contain partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat!). I, on the other hand, love flour tortillas! I do try to limit my intake, but they're so tasty!
We made our own version of the Instant Friend this weekend.
We grabbed some flour tortillas from Whole Foods so we didn't have to worry about trans fat because they only sell natural foods that do not contain artificial ingredients or that pesky partially hydrogenated oil. We also picked up an onion and bell pepper. Justin already had some fat free cheddar cheese and salsa at the house and I bought some fat free sour cream at Publix since Whole Foods didn't have any.
I chopped part of the onion and the whole bell pepper into pieces and sauteed them with a little olive oil and some salt and pepper. After that, we put a couple of tortillas topped with cheese and veggies on the hot griddle. After the cheese began melting, we folded the tortilla to form the quesadilla. I think regular cheese (i.e. cheese with fat) would melt better, but the fat free cheese did just fine. After they finished cooking, we removed the quesadillas from the griddle and cut them into triangles. I enjoy using the griddle because it's big enough for Justin and me to cook together. It's not a lot of fun to wash since it can't go in the dishwasher, but it's worth it to spend quality time together.
We cooked a few more and served them with the fat free sour cream and some salsa. They were delicious and so easy. I've been thinking of other items we could add to them to make them even better.
We made our own version of the Instant Friend this weekend.
We grabbed some flour tortillas from Whole Foods so we didn't have to worry about trans fat because they only sell natural foods that do not contain artificial ingredients or that pesky partially hydrogenated oil. We also picked up an onion and bell pepper. Justin already had some fat free cheddar cheese and salsa at the house and I bought some fat free sour cream at Publix since Whole Foods didn't have any.
I chopped part of the onion and the whole bell pepper into pieces and sauteed them with a little olive oil and some salt and pepper. After that, we put a couple of tortillas topped with cheese and veggies on the hot griddle. After the cheese began melting, we folded the tortilla to form the quesadilla. I think regular cheese (i.e. cheese with fat) would melt better, but the fat free cheese did just fine. After they finished cooking, we removed the quesadillas from the griddle and cut them into triangles. I enjoy using the griddle because it's big enough for Justin and me to cook together. It's not a lot of fun to wash since it can't go in the dishwasher, but it's worth it to spend quality time together.
We cooked a few more and served them with the fat free sour cream and some salsa. They were delicious and so easy. I've been thinking of other items we could add to them to make them even better.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Three Dollar Cafe and other stuff
I promise Justin and I don't eat all the time.
While we were out running errands Sunday afternoon, Justin suggested we eat at Three Dollar Cafe in Norcross since we were up there and hungry. It was on the second floor of a small shopping strip. It seems to be a sports pub-type restaurant...nearly twenty large screen televisions all showing football games.
We ordered chips and salsa to start. We were hungry. Justin ordered the pecan bleu salad with balsamic vinaigrette. I had the USA salad with honey mustard dressing and topped shrimp tossed in hot sauce. We didn't have to wait long for our food to arrive since it was 3:00 p.m. and they weren't very busy.
Justin and I cleaned our plates. The chips were good and the salads were even better.
Prior to this, we went to Brandsmart in Doraville and purchased a new Hoover. We've been looking at vacuum cleaners for a while and had decided to wait for a while to purchase a new one. A couple of weeks ago, we purchased one for Justin's mother for her birthday and she told us over Thanksgiving how much she was enjoying it. This convinced us to go ahead a buy one for us, too. We liked the Hoover Whisper Cyclonic because it is so quiet. We also like it because you can empty the dirt "cup" with one hand and the filter never has to be replaced. You simply wash it with water every three months. Yay!
After we returned home, we raked the driveway. I'm ashamed to say that you couldn't see our driveway because it was covered by leaves and pine straw. I'm not exaggerating. You couldn't see concrete. Our yard still needs some attention, but at least the house no longer looks abandoned.
While we were bagging leaves and straw, Justin called for me to turn around because he wanted to show me something he found in a pile of leaves. I turn around and see Justin holding a snake by it's tail. I refrained from screaming at the top of my lungs, but I start yelling for him to put it down as I back into the road. That's just nasty! As I'm going into panic attack mode, I ask him if it's dead and he says it appears to be but it hasn't been dead too long since it is still soft. While standing in the road, I begin yelling for him to put it down and he simply drops in on the driveway. I then start yelling for him to move it and he wants to know where I want it. I want him to make sure it's dead so he stomps it a few times and says, "There! It's definitely dead now! Where do you want it?" He starts to throw it in our yard and I stop him and suggest/demand that he throw it in our neighbor's yard. We're such good neighbors.
While we were out running errands Sunday afternoon, Justin suggested we eat at Three Dollar Cafe in Norcross since we were up there and hungry. It was on the second floor of a small shopping strip. It seems to be a sports pub-type restaurant...nearly twenty large screen televisions all showing football games.
We ordered chips and salsa to start. We were hungry. Justin ordered the pecan bleu salad with balsamic vinaigrette. I had the USA salad with honey mustard dressing and topped shrimp tossed in hot sauce. We didn't have to wait long for our food to arrive since it was 3:00 p.m. and they weren't very busy.
Justin and I cleaned our plates. The chips were good and the salads were even better.
Prior to this, we went to Brandsmart in Doraville and purchased a new Hoover. We've been looking at vacuum cleaners for a while and had decided to wait for a while to purchase a new one. A couple of weeks ago, we purchased one for Justin's mother for her birthday and she told us over Thanksgiving how much she was enjoying it. This convinced us to go ahead a buy one for us, too. We liked the Hoover Whisper Cyclonic because it is so quiet. We also like it because you can empty the dirt "cup" with one hand and the filter never has to be replaced. You simply wash it with water every three months. Yay!
After we returned home, we raked the driveway. I'm ashamed to say that you couldn't see our driveway because it was covered by leaves and pine straw. I'm not exaggerating. You couldn't see concrete. Our yard still needs some attention, but at least the house no longer looks abandoned.
While we were bagging leaves and straw, Justin called for me to turn around because he wanted to show me something he found in a pile of leaves. I turn around and see Justin holding a snake by it's tail. I refrained from screaming at the top of my lungs, but I start yelling for him to put it down as I back into the road. That's just nasty! As I'm going into panic attack mode, I ask him if it's dead and he says it appears to be but it hasn't been dead too long since it is still soft. While standing in the road, I begin yelling for him to put it down and he simply drops in on the driveway. I then start yelling for him to move it and he wants to know where I want it. I want him to make sure it's dead so he stomps it a few times and says, "There! It's definitely dead now! Where do you want it?" He starts to throw it in our yard and I stop him and suggest/demand that he throw it in our neighbor's yard. We're such good neighbors.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Bookhouse Pub
Since Justin's birthday is today, we celebrated Saturday night by going out to eat. I told him to choose anywhere he wanted. He has suggested Bookhouse Pub several times in the past and we've tried to eat there a couple of times, but parking is not plentiful. He said he wanted to eat there Saturday night, so we went. We were lucky to find a parking spot as another vehicle was leaving. We were seated immediately, which was nice.
Justin ordered the seared duck breast and said it was some of the best duck he's ever eaten. He also had a bottle of Chimay Blue beer. I tasted it and it was actually very good. It was a little pricier than what he would typically order, but since it was his birthday dinner, he splurged. I ordered the grilled cheese sandwich and an order of french fries. The sandwich came with a tomato dipping sauce, which was very good. The fries were lightly seasoned and there were more than enough to share with Justin. I think we left about a third of the fries because there were too many.
We had to try the funnel cake for dessert. It was so yummy! I haven't had a funnel cake in forever. This one came with the typical light dusting of powered sugar. There was also a scoop of cinnamon ice cream on top. We devoured that poor cake within a few minutes.
The atmosphere is exactly what I expect of a pub - dark, lots of wood, and slightly loud. It was fun and we had a great time and wonderful food. I recommend the Bookhouse Pub and the funnel cake.
Justin ordered the seared duck breast and said it was some of the best duck he's ever eaten. He also had a bottle of Chimay Blue beer. I tasted it and it was actually very good. It was a little pricier than what he would typically order, but since it was his birthday dinner, he splurged. I ordered the grilled cheese sandwich and an order of french fries. The sandwich came with a tomato dipping sauce, which was very good. The fries were lightly seasoned and there were more than enough to share with Justin. I think we left about a third of the fries because there were too many.
We had to try the funnel cake for dessert. It was so yummy! I haven't had a funnel cake in forever. This one came with the typical light dusting of powered sugar. There was also a scoop of cinnamon ice cream on top. We devoured that poor cake within a few minutes.
The atmosphere is exactly what I expect of a pub - dark, lots of wood, and slightly loud. It was fun and we had a great time and wonderful food. I recommend the Bookhouse Pub and the funnel cake.
The Social House
Mama and my niece were in Atlanta this weekend to see the Rockettes at the Fox Theatre. They drove up Friday afternoon for the Friday night performance and spent that night with Justin and me. Saturday morning, we got dressed and headed to The Social House for brunch. Justin and I ate here about a year ago and really enjoyed it. There is always a crowd of people waiting to get a table and the food is worth the wait. We got so lucky on Saturday morning since we only had to wait about two or three minutes for a table.
I ordered the shrimp on grits (without the andouille sausage) and those were the creamiest grits I've ever eaten. They were delicious! Mama and my niece enjoyed their stacks of buttermilk pancakes and Justin ate all of his spinach omelette. He shared his biscuit with my niece and me. Mama ordered bacon and also enjoyed sugar-free syrup with her pancakes.
We had good service and the atmosphere is a little loud, but enjoyable. I highly recommend The Social House.
I ordered the shrimp on grits (without the andouille sausage) and those were the creamiest grits I've ever eaten. They were delicious! Mama and my niece enjoyed their stacks of buttermilk pancakes and Justin ate all of his spinach omelette. He shared his biscuit with my niece and me. Mama ordered bacon and also enjoyed sugar-free syrup with her pancakes.
We had good service and the atmosphere is a little loud, but enjoyable. I highly recommend The Social House.
Happy Birthday, Justin!
Today is Justin's twenty-ninth birthday! I hate that I'm not getting to spend it with him, but we celebrated this weekend. He'll also have his family birthday party on Thanksgiving and I'll get to spend that time with him.
Happy Birthday, Justin! I love you!
Happy Birthday, Justin! I love you!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Deck the Walls
I typically wait until December or at least until after Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas. However, I jumped the gun this year and decorated last weekend. My rationale for this was that I didn't put up the tree last year or put out any Christmas decorations and I wanted to make sure I didn't run out of time this year. It's also my house and I can do what I want.
Justin and I bought this tree in 2003 for $16.88 at Wal-Mart. That was full price. We were proud of it since it was our very first Christmas tree together. We're still proud of it! We bought a couple of boxes of balls for the tree that year and have slowly purchased a few more on sale at the end of the Christmas seasons since then. One year, Justin really wanted a box of deep purple balls and I tried so hard to talk him out of it because I didn't think they would look good with our deep red balls. He insisted and I eventually relented. Those deep purple balls really look good and blend with the deep red ones.
We also hung some framed pictures on the dining room wall this weekend. These are some toile prints from my grandparents' house and I think they look fabulous in our dining room. They are very understated and so classy, almost like they were made for this room.
Justin is so precise when he's doing something like hanging pictures on the wall or cutting wood. He measures, measures, and measures, and then makes the cut or hammers the nail. This task was no exception. He drew a sketch, measured the wall and pictures, and calculated how much space we wanted between the pictures. He made marks on little pieces of masking tape and then hammered (after removing the tape). The result: perfectly hung pictures that are level and absolutely gorgeous! We also only have one hole in the wall for each picture.
Justin and I bought this tree in 2003 for $16.88 at Wal-Mart. That was full price. We were proud of it since it was our very first Christmas tree together. We're still proud of it! We bought a couple of boxes of balls for the tree that year and have slowly purchased a few more on sale at the end of the Christmas seasons since then. One year, Justin really wanted a box of deep purple balls and I tried so hard to talk him out of it because I didn't think they would look good with our deep red balls. He insisted and I eventually relented. Those deep purple balls really look good and blend with the deep red ones.
We also hung some framed pictures on the dining room wall this weekend. These are some toile prints from my grandparents' house and I think they look fabulous in our dining room. They are very understated and so classy, almost like they were made for this room.
Justin is so precise when he's doing something like hanging pictures on the wall or cutting wood. He measures, measures, and measures, and then makes the cut or hammers the nail. This task was no exception. He drew a sketch, measured the wall and pictures, and calculated how much space we wanted between the pictures. He made marks on little pieces of masking tape and then hammered (after removing the tape). The result: perfectly hung pictures that are level and absolutely gorgeous! We also only have one hole in the wall for each picture.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Artuzzi's
I realized this weekend that I haven't written about one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. Justin introduced me to Artuzzi's sometime last year. It quickly became one of my favorites. It is similar to Fazoli's, but better in my opinion.
I think Artuzzi's is a Roswell, Georgia based chain that has locations scattered about the Atlanta area. I've only visited the Briarcliff Road location. It is only about three miles from our house, so it's relatively close. Justin and I usually call in our order, pick it up, and head home to watch Seinfeld or Friends on DVD.
They mainly serve pasta and pizza. I've never had their pizza, but their pasta is good. I almost always order the spaghettini with pomodoro sauce, which is basically spaghetti with chunky tomato spaghetti sauce (no meat). Another item I order frequently is the linguini with quattro formaggi alfredo sauce, which is linguini with alfredo sauce (no meat). Both of these are delicious. The baked manicotti is also very good. Yummy! I'm getting hungry just thinking about these.
Justin always gets the linguini with bosco sauce. He seems to really enjoy it. All pasta entrees come with a breadstick and they are delicious. They're not dripping with oil and don't reek of garlic.
I think Artuzzi's is a Roswell, Georgia based chain that has locations scattered about the Atlanta area. I've only visited the Briarcliff Road location. It is only about three miles from our house, so it's relatively close. Justin and I usually call in our order, pick it up, and head home to watch Seinfeld or Friends on DVD.
They mainly serve pasta and pizza. I've never had their pizza, but their pasta is good. I almost always order the spaghettini with pomodoro sauce, which is basically spaghetti with chunky tomato spaghetti sauce (no meat). Another item I order frequently is the linguini with quattro formaggi alfredo sauce, which is linguini with alfredo sauce (no meat). Both of these are delicious. The baked manicotti is also very good. Yummy! I'm getting hungry just thinking about these.
Justin always gets the linguini with bosco sauce. He seems to really enjoy it. All pasta entrees come with a breadstick and they are delicious. They're not dripping with oil and don't reek of garlic.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Living Room
I have been wanting to paint the living room since we moved into our house. It was originally olive green, which was fine, just a little too dark for me. The living room and dining room are open to each other and the dining room was originally painted black.
Last week, I decided that I was going to paint the living room. One of my favorite paint colors from our house in Tifton was Pale Gold 2 (Laura Ashley color from Lowe's). I painted the dining room in Atlanta Pale Gold 2, so it seemed natural to paint the living room that same color.
We moved the furniture and covered it with plastic tarps. My painting abilities aren't great enough that I'm comfortable painting without taping the moulding, so we spent a little while with the masking tape. I should say that regular masking tape is cheap, but the blue painter's tape is soooo much easier to remove. I think it's well worth the extra cost.
Because the walls were dark and we were using a light tan paint, we primed the walls. Someone at Home Depot recommended the Zinsser primer when we painted the dining room because we were covering black paint. I think we used Kilz primer when we covered the black paint in the master bedroom. It worked fine and we ended up with an unopened gallon of the Kilz. I planned to use it in the living room since we had it. I got all of my supplies out and was ready to roll (literally), but when I opened the Kilz, it was very runny. No problem. I grabbed my stirring stick, but it just stuck in the solid mass in the bottom of the bucket. Something was obviously wrong, so we loaded it in the car and headed to Lowe's. We were told that it just needed to be shaken, but I wasn't convinced. We returned the Kilz and bought Zinsser.
Priming took a while and we grabbed lunch (at 4 p.m.) while it dried. By the time we began painting, the sun was going down. Our living room doesn't have any overhead lights, so we relied on the foyer and dining room lights, which was a bad idea. We couldn't see much of anything so we grabbed the flash light to "check" for spots that needed a little more paint. When we were satisfied with our product, we cleaned up our mess, showered, and headed to Panahar for supper.
I began removing the tape the next morning and quickly discovered that we were going to need another coat of paint. We hauled out the supplies again and moved and covered the furniture (we moved the furniture back to their proper locations the night before so we could use the living room) and added a second coat of paint. It's better to do it right than be dissatisfied with our room.
We think it looks great and has really brightened the room and made it look bigger.
Before:
Last week, I decided that I was going to paint the living room. One of my favorite paint colors from our house in Tifton was Pale Gold 2 (Laura Ashley color from Lowe's). I painted the dining room in Atlanta Pale Gold 2, so it seemed natural to paint the living room that same color.
We moved the furniture and covered it with plastic tarps. My painting abilities aren't great enough that I'm comfortable painting without taping the moulding, so we spent a little while with the masking tape. I should say that regular masking tape is cheap, but the blue painter's tape is soooo much easier to remove. I think it's well worth the extra cost.
Because the walls were dark and we were using a light tan paint, we primed the walls. Someone at Home Depot recommended the Zinsser primer when we painted the dining room because we were covering black paint. I think we used Kilz primer when we covered the black paint in the master bedroom. It worked fine and we ended up with an unopened gallon of the Kilz. I planned to use it in the living room since we had it. I got all of my supplies out and was ready to roll (literally), but when I opened the Kilz, it was very runny. No problem. I grabbed my stirring stick, but it just stuck in the solid mass in the bottom of the bucket. Something was obviously wrong, so we loaded it in the car and headed to Lowe's. We were told that it just needed to be shaken, but I wasn't convinced. We returned the Kilz and bought Zinsser.
Priming took a while and we grabbed lunch (at 4 p.m.) while it dried. By the time we began painting, the sun was going down. Our living room doesn't have any overhead lights, so we relied on the foyer and dining room lights, which was a bad idea. We couldn't see much of anything so we grabbed the flash light to "check" for spots that needed a little more paint. When we were satisfied with our product, we cleaned up our mess, showered, and headed to Panahar for supper.
I began removing the tape the next morning and quickly discovered that we were going to need another coat of paint. We hauled out the supplies again and moved and covered the furniture (we moved the furniture back to their proper locations the night before so we could use the living room) and added a second coat of paint. It's better to do it right than be dissatisfied with our room.
We think it looks great and has really brightened the room and made it look bigger.
Before:
This picture makes the olive green look a lot lighter than it is/was.
After:
It's not decorated like I want. Don't judge me!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Panahar
I've mentioned before that Justin is much more adventurous than me when it comes to food. I tried sushi several months ago and really enjoyed it. Justin has been trying to get me to eat Indian and Ethiopian cuisines a lot recently. Anytime we're trying to decide where we're going to eat supper, I always say, "Justin, I'll eat wherever you want to eat tonight as long as it isn't third world ethnic."
I finally gave in this weekend and ate at an Indian/Bangladeshi restaurant. Supposedly, Indian and Bangladeshi cuisines are quite similar and I've heard that Indian food is delicious, but I just couldn't make myself try it.
Justin searched online for what seemed like forever and eventually decided on Panahar. It advertises itself as "Atlanta's first and only Bangladeshi restaurant." It was actually fairly close to our house so we didn't have to drive very far, which was nice. Parking was also plentiful since it was in a shopping center.
We were forgiven for not having a reservation since it was our first visit to Panahar and were encouraged to make a reservation in the future. We waited ten to fifteen minutes for a table, which surprised me because they were very busy. After studying the menu, we were ready to order. One thing I did not like about this restaurant was the waiter trying to upsell our order. I looked over the menu and ordered what I wanted. I don't want someone telling me what I should try. You can recommend something, but when I say I want "X", don't keep trying to get me to order something else instead.
The waiter encouraged us to order an appetizer, which we gave in and ordered one. We tried the appetizer platter (combo of chicken shingaara, vegetable shingaara, and pankoras). It was good, although I have no idea what I ate. I think Justin enjoyed all the items on the platter.
I ordered the tondoori shrimp for my entree. It was very similar to sizzling fajitas. The shrimp were lightly seasoned with something that turned them bright red, but didn't add a lot of flavor. They were served on a sizzling tray with onions and peppers. It was good. Justin ordered the chicken teek-ka. He enjoyed his entree, too. The entrees were served with basmati rice. I'm not sure what it was flavored with, but I did not enjoy it. The waiter also encouraged us to order the raita sauce to accompany our entrees. I did not like this sauce. There were way too many different flavors. The food was all good, just not what I enjoy.
The service was good and the inside was clean. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys Indian/Bangladeshi food. Just remember to make a reservation. They were very busy and seemed to have a lot of repeat customers.
I still have to eat Ethiopian food. Justin swears I'll like it. I hope he's right.
I finally gave in this weekend and ate at an Indian/Bangladeshi restaurant. Supposedly, Indian and Bangladeshi cuisines are quite similar and I've heard that Indian food is delicious, but I just couldn't make myself try it.
Justin searched online for what seemed like forever and eventually decided on Panahar. It advertises itself as "Atlanta's first and only Bangladeshi restaurant." It was actually fairly close to our house so we didn't have to drive very far, which was nice. Parking was also plentiful since it was in a shopping center.
We were forgiven for not having a reservation since it was our first visit to Panahar and were encouraged to make a reservation in the future. We waited ten to fifteen minutes for a table, which surprised me because they were very busy. After studying the menu, we were ready to order. One thing I did not like about this restaurant was the waiter trying to upsell our order. I looked over the menu and ordered what I wanted. I don't want someone telling me what I should try. You can recommend something, but when I say I want "X", don't keep trying to get me to order something else instead.
The waiter encouraged us to order an appetizer, which we gave in and ordered one. We tried the appetizer platter (combo of chicken shingaara, vegetable shingaara, and pankoras). It was good, although I have no idea what I ate. I think Justin enjoyed all the items on the platter.
I ordered the tondoori shrimp for my entree. It was very similar to sizzling fajitas. The shrimp were lightly seasoned with something that turned them bright red, but didn't add a lot of flavor. They were served on a sizzling tray with onions and peppers. It was good. Justin ordered the chicken teek-ka. He enjoyed his entree, too. The entrees were served with basmati rice. I'm not sure what it was flavored with, but I did not enjoy it. The waiter also encouraged us to order the raita sauce to accompany our entrees. I did not like this sauce. There were way too many different flavors. The food was all good, just not what I enjoy.
The service was good and the inside was clean. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys Indian/Bangladeshi food. Just remember to make a reservation. They were very busy and seemed to have a lot of repeat customers.
I still have to eat Ethiopian food. Justin swears I'll like it. I hope he's right.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween!
This picture is probably about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. Carrie is dressed up as the Pink Panther and I'm a Hoblin Goblin (don't know what that is exactly). I remember being so afraid of that costume, even when it was just hanging in the closet. This picture was taken while we were at my grandparents' house. We always went there first to trick-or-treat on Halloween.
This picture is probably about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. Carrie is dressed up as the Pink Panther and I'm a Hoblin Goblin (don't know what that is exactly). I remember being so afraid of that costume, even when it was just hanging in the closet. This picture was taken while we were at my grandparents' house. We always went there first to trick-or-treat on Halloween.
Monday, October 26, 2009
57th Fighter Group Restaurant
Saturday night, Justin and I ate supper at the 57th Fighter Group Restaurant (I will refer to it as 57th). Their website is still under construction, so there really is very little information on it. The restaurant was open previously, but I believe closed for some reason. It has recently (within the last couple of weeks) reopened.
Justin went to 57th Thursday night with some friends and ate in the bar area. He said a lot of the items on the bar menu were around $9 (hamburgers and the like), but their service was not great - maybe due to them recently opening and working out the kinks. He ate a philly cheesesteak-type sandwich called the 57th Sandwich. He said it was very good.
We discussed eating outside in the bar area, but at the last minute, I decided I wanted to eat inside. It was a little cold that night and I didn't take appropriate clothes to Atlanta. We sat near the window and watched intently for planes.
We decided to order two different entrees and share them. I ordered the grilled salmon (marinated in a citrus glaze) with new potatoes and asparagus. Justin ordered the crab stuffed grouper with lobster cream sauce. It came with rice and asparagus. The salmon was delicious . The grouper was also very tasty, but Justin said it was a little rich for him. I should have eaten more of it since I really like rich food, but that salmon was so yummy. I had a glass of Chateau St. Michelle Rielsling and Justin had a cabernet franc from Georgia (not sure of the brand). I enjoyed my wine, but Justin didn't love his. Justin likes VERY dry cabernet sauvignon and the cabernet franc wasn't what he prefers.
We enjoyed the 57th and will probably dine here again. The food was good and the staff was extremely attentive. My entree was $16 and Justin's was about $22 so this restaurant isn't incredibly cheap.
I should mention that the restaurant is located very near the Dekalb-Peachtree Airport. "A" is the location of the restaurant. You can actually see aircraft landing and taking off. Justin said there were several large jets that landed or took off on Thursday night, but we only saw one small plane land and one small plane take off on Saturday night. I was disappointed.
View Larger Map
Justin went to 57th Thursday night with some friends and ate in the bar area. He said a lot of the items on the bar menu were around $9 (hamburgers and the like), but their service was not great - maybe due to them recently opening and working out the kinks. He ate a philly cheesesteak-type sandwich called the 57th Sandwich. He said it was very good.
We discussed eating outside in the bar area, but at the last minute, I decided I wanted to eat inside. It was a little cold that night and I didn't take appropriate clothes to Atlanta. We sat near the window and watched intently for planes.
We decided to order two different entrees and share them. I ordered the grilled salmon (marinated in a citrus glaze) with new potatoes and asparagus. Justin ordered the crab stuffed grouper with lobster cream sauce. It came with rice and asparagus. The salmon was delicious . The grouper was also very tasty, but Justin said it was a little rich for him. I should have eaten more of it since I really like rich food, but that salmon was so yummy. I had a glass of Chateau St. Michelle Rielsling and Justin had a cabernet franc from Georgia (not sure of the brand). I enjoyed my wine, but Justin didn't love his. Justin likes VERY dry cabernet sauvignon and the cabernet franc wasn't what he prefers.
We enjoyed the 57th and will probably dine here again. The food was good and the staff was extremely attentive. My entree was $16 and Justin's was about $22 so this restaurant isn't incredibly cheap.
I should mention that the restaurant is located very near the Dekalb-Peachtree Airport. "A" is the location of the restaurant. You can actually see aircraft landing and taking off. Justin said there were several large jets that landed or took off on Thursday night, but we only saw one small plane land and one small plane take off on Saturday night. I was disappointed.
View Larger Map
Mint Chinese and Thai Cuisine
Before I left Atlanta Sunday evening, Justin and I decided to pick up food from Mint. We called in our order and picked it up about ten minutes later. They will deliver, but I'm too cheap to pay for delivery.
I had the Golden Crispy Shrimp (light fried shrimp topped with house special sauce with mayonnaise). It was delicious, but sweet. I wasn't expecting the sweet taste. The mayo wasn't as strong as I anticipated. It came with steamed white rice (I added some soy sauce to the rice) which helped counteract some of the sugar. I am likely to order this again, but I'd like to try some of the other items on the menu first.
Justin ordered the Mongolian Chicken and his also came with steamed white rice. He said his was delicious. "It's better than Hop Shing!" (Hop Shing is a Chinese restaurant that we've ordered take-out from a few times. It's fine, but not the best Chinese food we've ever eaten. They also don't accept credit cards, which is very inconvenient since I NEVER carry cash.) Mint is also closer to our house than Hop Shing.
We did go inside to pick up our food and the inside seemed clean, so I would have no problem eating inside the restaurant or ordering from them again.
I had the Golden Crispy Shrimp (light fried shrimp topped with house special sauce with mayonnaise). It was delicious, but sweet. I wasn't expecting the sweet taste. The mayo wasn't as strong as I anticipated. It came with steamed white rice (I added some soy sauce to the rice) which helped counteract some of the sugar. I am likely to order this again, but I'd like to try some of the other items on the menu first.
Justin ordered the Mongolian Chicken and his also came with steamed white rice. He said his was delicious. "It's better than Hop Shing!" (Hop Shing is a Chinese restaurant that we've ordered take-out from a few times. It's fine, but not the best Chinese food we've ever eaten. They also don't accept credit cards, which is very inconvenient since I NEVER carry cash.) Mint is also closer to our house than Hop Shing.
We did go inside to pick up our food and the inside seemed clean, so I would have no problem eating inside the restaurant or ordering from them again.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Happy 14th Birthday!
Today is my niece's fourteenth birthday! I cannot believe she is fourteen already. I remember the day she was born. I was actually fourteen at the time. I don't remember her exact weight, but she was just over four pounds. She was so tiny! I was afraid to hold her because she was so little. It's crazy to think she'll have her learner's permit in a year!
Happy Birthday!
With Aunt Kacky (me!) and our cat, Puss-Puss. My niece has always had long, skinny legs. I'm so jealous! This picture is probably nine or 10 year old.
Happy Birthday!
I'm so embarrassed, but I don't have any current photos of her. This one was taken by my father-in-law at my wedding. She was my flower girl. Isn't she so pretty?
Toy Soldier in the Nutcracker. She got contact lenses this year so she no longer wears glasses. She wears make-up and long dangly earrings.
On a cruise with her mother.
With Aunt Kacky (me!) and our cat, Puss-Puss. My niece has always had long, skinny legs. I'm so jealous! This picture is probably nine or 10 year old.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Happy Birthday, Pete!
I am such a bad Mommy! I didn't do a post for Pete's fifth birthday on October 3. I'm so ashamed to admit this, but I actually forgot her birthday and didn't remember until I was driving to Atlanta on October 9. I know she doesn't realize her birthday is on October 3, but I do and I cannot believe I forgot it! Poor thing.
Justin and I started a tradition for her first birthday. We always let both dogs ride in the car, out of their carrier, to the Dairy Queen on their birthday for a cup of vanilla ice cream. They love this! Hanging out of the windows, one on each side of the car, ears flapping in the wind, going to the DQ for ice cream - does life get any better than that?! We weren't able to do this in 2008 because I was living in Nashville at the time and the DQ was closed. I wasn't able to do it this year because the DQ is still closed and I forgot.
I did buy some bite-size cupcakes at Whole Foods that weekend and Mama and I celebrated with Pete and Annabelle when I arrived home that Sunday night.
This is Miss Pete on her first night at our house. She was six weeks old at the time and so little. She looked like a little rat.
This was taken after Christmas in 2004. She was about three months old. I took her to be groomed in Tifton. She loved posing!
Justin and I started a tradition for her first birthday. We always let both dogs ride in the car, out of their carrier, to the Dairy Queen on their birthday for a cup of vanilla ice cream. They love this! Hanging out of the windows, one on each side of the car, ears flapping in the wind, going to the DQ for ice cream - does life get any better than that?! We weren't able to do this in 2008 because I was living in Nashville at the time and the DQ was closed. I wasn't able to do it this year because the DQ is still closed and I forgot.
I did buy some bite-size cupcakes at Whole Foods that weekend and Mama and I celebrated with Pete and Annabelle when I arrived home that Sunday night.
This is Miss Pete on her first night at our house. She was six weeks old at the time and so little. She looked like a little rat.
This was taken after Christmas in 2004. She was about three months old. I took her to be groomed in Tifton. She loved posing!
This was taken in 2006 shortly after being groomed. They do not stay clean very long. She already has some dirt on her face.
Monday, October 12, 2009
El Torero
Saturday night, Justin and I ate supper at El Torero in Atlanta. This restaurant is near the Moe's on Briarcliff that we frequent and we've commented several times that we needed to try it. It's a typical Mexican restaurant, so it was very tasty. The chips were exceptionally good and the salsa was also very good (a little spicy).
I ordered the special quesadilla fajitas with shrimp and a side of rice. Yummy! My food was very delicious! Justin ordered one of the "dinners" and I think it had burritos, a taco, and rice and beans. He enjoyed his meal, too. Our food arrived very quickly even though they were fairly busy. Their prices are very similar to other Mexican restaurants in Atlanta.
I will likely visit this restaurant again.
I ordered the special quesadilla fajitas with shrimp and a side of rice. Yummy! My food was very delicious! Justin ordered one of the "dinners" and I think it had burritos, a taco, and rice and beans. He enjoyed his meal, too. Our food arrived very quickly even though they were fairly busy. Their prices are very similar to other Mexican restaurants in Atlanta.
I will likely visit this restaurant again.
Atlanta Hawk(s)
A few years ago, I heard someone say that some small pets such as cats and chihuahuas weren't safe outside because of the threat of hawks. I thought this was silly, but I did a little research and realized this was a real threat. Due to my constant worrying, I wouldn't let Pete and Annabelle outside without supervision because I just knew that hawks were circling and waiting to eat one of them. I know this is somewhat irrational, but that's how my mind works.
After a few months passed and I hadn't seen any hawks, I relaxed a little.
This weekend in Atlanta, I walked by a window and peered out into the courtyard. I spotted a huge bird perched on a fence post. I called for Justin to look. We were both amazed at the size of the bird. It was huge! We both immediately agreed that it was a hawk. Justin grabbed the camera and tried to get a picture from the window in the laundry room. I think the hawk spotted him because it flew to a higher branch in a tree in the backyard, still studying the ground very carefully.
Justin sneaked outside and walked very close to the tree with the hawk and snapped several pictures. I was a little scared for Justin, so I waited just inside the door with a Maglite flashlight in my hand, ready to knock that bird silly if it attacked my Justin!
Justin returned safely but I was left worrying that the hawk was going to eat one of the adorable little chipmunks that call our courtyard home. The hawk eventually became interested in one of our dear squirrels and I had to stop watching. I really hope that squirrel hid.
Pete is smaller than Annabelle by several pounds. Annabelle weighs about twelve pounds and Pete weighs around eight or nine, so I doubt a hawk could lift either of them, especially Annabelle, but one might try to hurt one of my babies. That thought is just horrible! I now have a rule that Annabelle and Pete aren't allowed outside in Atlanta (when they finally move up there) without adult supervision.
Mama said we need to get a gun and shoot the hawk(s), but I don't think the neighbors and police would appreciate us shooting guns haphazardly in town. She then suggested we get a bow and arrow. That would probably be even more dangerous to Justin, myself, and any other people or pets who might be in the vicinity.
I think I'll just hang onto the flashlight for now. I wonder if hawks eat snakes?
After a few months passed and I hadn't seen any hawks, I relaxed a little.
This weekend in Atlanta, I walked by a window and peered out into the courtyard. I spotted a huge bird perched on a fence post. I called for Justin to look. We were both amazed at the size of the bird. It was huge! We both immediately agreed that it was a hawk. Justin grabbed the camera and tried to get a picture from the window in the laundry room. I think the hawk spotted him because it flew to a higher branch in a tree in the backyard, still studying the ground very carefully.
Justin sneaked outside and walked very close to the tree with the hawk and snapped several pictures. I was a little scared for Justin, so I waited just inside the door with a Maglite flashlight in my hand, ready to knock that bird silly if it attacked my Justin!
Justin returned safely but I was left worrying that the hawk was going to eat one of the adorable little chipmunks that call our courtyard home. The hawk eventually became interested in one of our dear squirrels and I had to stop watching. I really hope that squirrel hid.
Pete is smaller than Annabelle by several pounds. Annabelle weighs about twelve pounds and Pete weighs around eight or nine, so I doubt a hawk could lift either of them, especially Annabelle, but one might try to hurt one of my babies. That thought is just horrible! I now have a rule that Annabelle and Pete aren't allowed outside in Atlanta (when they finally move up there) without adult supervision.
Mama said we need to get a gun and shoot the hawk(s), but I don't think the neighbors and police would appreciate us shooting guns haphazardly in town. She then suggested we get a bow and arrow. That would probably be even more dangerous to Justin, myself, and any other people or pets who might be in the vicinity.
I think I'll just hang onto the flashlight for now. I wonder if hawks eat snakes?
These pictures do not show the true size of this bird! I estimate it was one and a half to two feet tall and had a wingspan of about four feet.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Tap Tacos, and Floods
Saturday evening, Justin and I joined our friends Grant and Caroline for a performance by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. They performed Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, "Pathetique" and Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3.
Garrick Ohlsson was the piano soloist for the Rachmaninov portion and he was spectacular (supposedly one of the world's best pianists). After the performance was over, the audience continued clapping until Mr. Ohlsson returned and played some more. He played Debussy's "Clair de lune." It was phenomenal! He made it seem so effortless. What a wonderful and soothing end to a fabulous performance.
Before the performance, we ate supper at Tap, which was very near the Woodruff Arts Center (where the ASO performs during the regular season). This is probably not where any of us would have chosen to eat normally, but because traffic in Atlanta can be so unpredictable, we decided to eat near Woodruff. Tap also offers free valet parking (the sign said tips were given to charity, which is nice) and because we ate there, we were able to leave the car with them for the performance.
The food wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the best food I've ever eaten. I started with fried pickles and a glass of white Benziger (Sauvignon Blanc). I think the pickles might have been sweet pickles instead of dill. I've had fried pickles before and these were good. One person hates pickles and neither of the other two really wanted any, so I pretty much ate them on my own, which wasn't a problem.
For my entree, I had three of the shrimp a la diabla tacos. They were ok, but not wonderful. I think they would have been better with a different shell. They came with a soft corn tortilla shell, which hardly had any flavor, which is probably typical. The taco "guts" were good, but not quite what I was expecting. Justin had the nicoise salad and said he enjoyed it. Grant and Caroline shared the grilled Mediterranean flatbread and a taco trio (curry red fish, buttermilk fried chicken, and shrimp a la diabla - I think). They seemed to enjoy their food, too. I would probably return to Tap, but would definitely try a different entree.
I'm sure you've heard about the flooding in Atlanta. Justin and I were very fortunate and didn't have any damage (that we've seen). Our yard is slightly messy (obvious that it held some water), but we can deal with that. Our yard is separated from one of our neighbors by a line of grassy-like plants (similar to liriope, but not exactly) and a 6-8 inch section was flattend by rushing water. That is so very minor compared to people losing their vehicles, homes, and even lives. We live near North Peachtree Creek and voluntary evacuation orders were issued for neighborhoods around this creek (ours included). Justin and I talked about him evacuating, but we both decided that our house was far enough away from the creek and up high enough that it would be fine. I don't think any houses in our neighborhood were affected, but some apartments a little further up creek were underwater and some houses down creek were also underwater.
Unfortunately, Atlanta got very wet again Saturday afternoon. It rained on and off (sometimes very hard) all afternoon and into the evening. Luckily, we didn't have to walk in the rain from the restaurant to the performance or to the car after the performance.
Overall, it was a very nice evening.
Garrick Ohlsson was the piano soloist for the Rachmaninov portion and he was spectacular (supposedly one of the world's best pianists). After the performance was over, the audience continued clapping until Mr. Ohlsson returned and played some more. He played Debussy's "Clair de lune." It was phenomenal! He made it seem so effortless. What a wonderful and soothing end to a fabulous performance.
Before the performance, we ate supper at Tap, which was very near the Woodruff Arts Center (where the ASO performs during the regular season). This is probably not where any of us would have chosen to eat normally, but because traffic in Atlanta can be so unpredictable, we decided to eat near Woodruff. Tap also offers free valet parking (the sign said tips were given to charity, which is nice) and because we ate there, we were able to leave the car with them for the performance.
The food wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the best food I've ever eaten. I started with fried pickles and a glass of white Benziger (Sauvignon Blanc). I think the pickles might have been sweet pickles instead of dill. I've had fried pickles before and these were good. One person hates pickles and neither of the other two really wanted any, so I pretty much ate them on my own, which wasn't a problem.
For my entree, I had three of the shrimp a la diabla tacos. They were ok, but not wonderful. I think they would have been better with a different shell. They came with a soft corn tortilla shell, which hardly had any flavor, which is probably typical. The taco "guts" were good, but not quite what I was expecting. Justin had the nicoise salad and said he enjoyed it. Grant and Caroline shared the grilled Mediterranean flatbread and a taco trio (curry red fish, buttermilk fried chicken, and shrimp a la diabla - I think). They seemed to enjoy their food, too. I would probably return to Tap, but would definitely try a different entree.
I'm sure you've heard about the flooding in Atlanta. Justin and I were very fortunate and didn't have any damage (that we've seen). Our yard is slightly messy (obvious that it held some water), but we can deal with that. Our yard is separated from one of our neighbors by a line of grassy-like plants (similar to liriope, but not exactly) and a 6-8 inch section was flattend by rushing water. That is so very minor compared to people losing their vehicles, homes, and even lives. We live near North Peachtree Creek and voluntary evacuation orders were issued for neighborhoods around this creek (ours included). Justin and I talked about him evacuating, but we both decided that our house was far enough away from the creek and up high enough that it would be fine. I don't think any houses in our neighborhood were affected, but some apartments a little further up creek were underwater and some houses down creek were also underwater.
Unfortunately, Atlanta got very wet again Saturday afternoon. It rained on and off (sometimes very hard) all afternoon and into the evening. Luckily, we didn't have to walk in the rain from the restaurant to the performance or to the car after the performance.
Overall, it was a very nice evening.
Fall (or Autumn) is here!
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fall! I enjoy the cooler weather and being able to be outside without nearly sweating to death. I love the scents associated with fall (spicy stuff, caramel, burning stuff outside). I love burning fall scented candles and get so excited when I start seeing them in stores.
Recently, I purchased a couple of candy dishes at Target. One is a white ghost and the other is a jack-o'-lantern. This weekend, Justin and I were in Target (I also LOVE Target!) and I wanted some candy for my dishes. I decided on Hershey's Kisses, but couldn't decide on what flavor(s). We eventually chose milk chocolate kisses and pumpkin spice kisses. Before we got home, we had the pumpkin spice bag open and were devouring them. They are delicious!
I am not a huge candy eater, and I've never been a big fan of pumpkin flavored things, but these little candies are like heaven! We looked for them at Kroger, but didn't see them. Someone said online that they're a Target-exclusive item.
Recently, I purchased a couple of candy dishes at Target. One is a white ghost and the other is a jack-o'-lantern. This weekend, Justin and I were in Target (I also LOVE Target!) and I wanted some candy for my dishes. I decided on Hershey's Kisses, but couldn't decide on what flavor(s). We eventually chose milk chocolate kisses and pumpkin spice kisses. Before we got home, we had the pumpkin spice bag open and were devouring them. They are delicious!
I am not a huge candy eater, and I've never been a big fan of pumpkin flavored things, but these little candies are like heaven! We looked for them at Kroger, but didn't see them. Someone said online that they're a Target-exclusive item.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Zucchini Bread
Several months ago, I baked zucchini bread for the first time. It wasn't hard and turned out really well. I decided to bake it again this evening and I substituted Splenda for some of the sugar. The recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar. I used 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup of Splenda. I can't tell the difference and it makes me feel a little less guilty about eating a piece (or two!). The recipe makes two loaves so you can share one of them and feel even less guilty. I'm thinking about replacing half of the sugar with Splenda next time. I also use canola oil instead of vegetable oil.
Pete and Annabelle think it's very tasty!
Pete and Annabelle think it's very tasty!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Labor Day Weekend
I do love a long weekend. It's nice spending an extra day with Justin, but it's also nice having an extra day to work on the house. We accomplished so much and even had time to relax a little.
The plan on Saturday was for Justin to work on installing windows in his room/office while I painted the dining room. The windows he was replacing made up a double window on the front of the house. This was the first double window we were replacing and we were both a little nervous. We weren't sure how the windows were originally installed, so we proceeded with caution. After he removed the moulding and saw the installation, he wanted to get pricing for an actual double window instead of using two separate windows, so we headed to Home Depot.
After we returned home, a friend we haven't seen in a while called and wanted to visit with us for a little while. I continued priming the dining room walls while Justin and I hung out with Mark. We had a good time and I was very happy I was able to finish priming the walls. After I finished priming, I showered and Justin, Mark, and I headed to Doc Chey's for supper. I had the sesame shrimp stirfry as my entree and the crispy veggie spring rolls as an appetizer (painting will work-up an appetite). The food was delicious and the atmosphere was fun, too.
Sunday, I cooked cinnamon rolls (from a can) for breakfast and then we headed to Home Depot to buy paint. We also made a trip to Whole Foods for some pizza for lunch and other groceries. We returned home and began installing the two windows in Justin's room (we decided to install two separate windows instead of buying a double window). This took a little while, but we got one installed and decided to install the second one since we already had the tools out. Getting the ladder close enough to the house to caulk outside was not easy. There are holly bushes close to the house and Justin said they were a little painful to crawl through (I took his word for it). We also fed Atlanta's mosquito population.
The original windows with the moulding removed. There was too much light outside so my flash didn't work, but you get the idea.
The window on the left is original and the one on the right is new. This picture makes the window look curved and crooked, but it's not.
Yay! Both new windows are in place. We need to install the moulding to finish the window. Once again, the window isn't curved.
The "before" picture. I didn't take an actual "before" picture this weekend, but this one was taken last summer when we were house hunting.
After priming. Notice the light fixture is being suspended with a black shoe string. We have no idea what this is about, but we hope to replace it soon. We like the fixture, but I think something else will look better, although, the black shoe string has grown on us. Also, you'll notice the dining room window is new. We replaced it a few weeks ago.
The plan on Saturday was for Justin to work on installing windows in his room/office while I painted the dining room. The windows he was replacing made up a double window on the front of the house. This was the first double window we were replacing and we were both a little nervous. We weren't sure how the windows were originally installed, so we proceeded with caution. After he removed the moulding and saw the installation, he wanted to get pricing for an actual double window instead of using two separate windows, so we headed to Home Depot.
After we returned home, a friend we haven't seen in a while called and wanted to visit with us for a little while. I continued priming the dining room walls while Justin and I hung out with Mark. We had a good time and I was very happy I was able to finish priming the walls. After I finished priming, I showered and Justin, Mark, and I headed to Doc Chey's for supper. I had the sesame shrimp stirfry as my entree and the crispy veggie spring rolls as an appetizer (painting will work-up an appetite). The food was delicious and the atmosphere was fun, too.
Sunday, I cooked cinnamon rolls (from a can) for breakfast and then we headed to Home Depot to buy paint. We also made a trip to Whole Foods for some pizza for lunch and other groceries. We returned home and began installing the two windows in Justin's room (we decided to install two separate windows instead of buying a double window). This took a little while, but we got one installed and decided to install the second one since we already had the tools out. Getting the ladder close enough to the house to caulk outside was not easy. There are holly bushes close to the house and Justin said they were a little painful to crawl through (I took his word for it). We also fed Atlanta's mosquito population.
The original windows with the moulding removed. There was too much light outside so my flash didn't work, but you get the idea.
The window on the left is original and the one on the right is new. This picture makes the window look curved and crooked, but it's not.
Yay! Both new windows are in place. We need to install the moulding to finish the window. Once again, the window isn't curved.
After installing the windows, we ate supper (vegan soy burgers and sweet potato fries - both were yummy!) and then painted the dining room. I enjoy painting. I love seeing the transformation from one color to another and this was a transformation - black to pale gold! Painting didn't take very long and we were both so pleased with how much we accomplished that day. I couldn't wait - I had to move the dining table and chairs to the room to see how it would look.
The "before" picture. I didn't take an actual "before" picture this weekend, but this one was taken last summer when we were house hunting.
After priming. Notice the light fixture is being suspended with a black shoe string. We have no idea what this is about, but we hope to replace it soon. We like the fixture, but I think something else will look better, although, the black shoe string has grown on us. Also, you'll notice the dining room window is new. We replaced it a few weeks ago.
Another primed shot.
The pancakes. My buttermilk Aunt Jemima wannabees (i.e. Kroger brand) on the left and Justin's whole wheat pancakes on the right. He likes huge pancakes that are impossible to flip. It makes him happy so I didn't yell at him when he poured his batter and it ran into my perfectly poured pancakes. For anyone wondering, that is catnip in the plastic container on the left side of the picture.
The "after" shot. Ignore the tape around the chairrail. This was for the touch-ups. The paint color is a Laura Ashley color from Lowe's called Pale Gold 2. This is a color we used is several rooms in our house in Tifton and we both like this color. We had Home Depot color match the sample and we used Behr paint. Because we primed it very well and used a good quality, premium paint, we only had to paint one coat of color.
The flowers are from Whole Foods. I received a coupon from them for a free fiesta bouquet. I just love freebies! I can't find my vases, so I just used a cup. It works.
Monday, we cooked pancakes for breakfast and began removing the masking tape from the dining room walls. We did some touch-up painting around the moulding because that pesky black paint just wouldn't go away. After lounging around the house and running to Bed Bath and Beyond, we decided to eat Chinese food for supper. We found Little Szechuan online and decided to try it. It was not completely inexpensive, but the portions were enough to feed four people and the food was amazing. I had the shrimp fried rice and it was so yummy!
The pancakes. My buttermilk Aunt Jemima wannabees (i.e. Kroger brand) on the left and Justin's whole wheat pancakes on the right. He likes huge pancakes that are impossible to flip. It makes him happy so I didn't yell at him when he poured his batter and it ran into my perfectly poured pancakes. For anyone wondering, that is catnip in the plastic container on the left side of the picture.
More pancakes. They were good and Justin and I had a good time cooking them.
Unfortunately, after supper, I had to leave Atlanta for the drive back to Nashville. It was pretty uneventful, which is how I like it, and traffic was not as bad as I was expecting. I went through a GSP license check/road block in Tift County after I exited I-75 and had just gotten on Hwy. 125. Two troopers approached my car and one asked for my license while the other shined a flashlight throughout my car, looking for alcohol, I guess. While the one looked at my license, the other trooper announced, "Well, she's drinking, but it looks like it's just a Diet Coke." I proudly held up my Publix Diet Cola and showed him he was basically correct and went on my merry way.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sushi, Jellyfish, and Basterds
Justin and I planned to install a window or two or three this weekend, but the rain prevented that. We spent a fairly lazy weekend not doing much of anything, which was great!
Saturday evening, we went with Angie and Travis (Angie works with Justin and Travis is Angie's husband) to eat sushi and see a movie. My sushi rolls were delicious and everyone else seemed to enjoy theirs, too. I should say that Angie and Travis are much more adventurous than me when it comes to food. Actually, most people are. Justin tried most everything they ordered. I stuck to the two rolls I ordered and was perfectly happy. Travis ordered jellyfish and insisted that I try it. I was hesitant, but everyone else was telling me I had to try it. I gave in and ate the jellyfish. It was different than I expected. Justin said it had a Jolly Rancher flavor. I did not agree with that. The texture was odd - almost like a tough grapefruit and it was red, probably because of something it was soaked in or flavored with. It was crunchy, but not because of anything hard in it. It had a strange flavor and even stranger aftertaste. It was a little salty, but not in a salt kind of way. It is almost impossible to describe. It's not something I would eat frequently, but I could eat it again. Surprisingly, it didn't gross me out.
After we ate, we headed to the movie theater to watch Inglourious Basterds (I know this is not the correct way to spell either word, but it's the way the movie title is spelled). This movie is fantastic! We found it to be very entertaining. It's not a movie that everyone will want to see, but Justin and I enjoy other movies written by Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol. 1, Kill Bill Vol. 2, et al.). The movie takes place in Nazi-occupied France in the 1940s. Brad Pitt is the leader of a group of Jewis-American soldiers who are tasked with killing Nazis. There are several other stories intertwined in the movie and the movie is fairly comical and a little serious. The language and violence could be offensive to some people. Like I said, this is not a movie that will be enjoyed by everyone, but I did enjoy it.
Even though we didn't accomplish much of anything this weekend, other than eating a jellyfish, we did enjoy the weekend and that's what is important. Relaxing can accomplish a lot, too.
Saturday evening, we went with Angie and Travis (Angie works with Justin and Travis is Angie's husband) to eat sushi and see a movie. My sushi rolls were delicious and everyone else seemed to enjoy theirs, too. I should say that Angie and Travis are much more adventurous than me when it comes to food. Actually, most people are. Justin tried most everything they ordered. I stuck to the two rolls I ordered and was perfectly happy. Travis ordered jellyfish and insisted that I try it. I was hesitant, but everyone else was telling me I had to try it. I gave in and ate the jellyfish. It was different than I expected. Justin said it had a Jolly Rancher flavor. I did not agree with that. The texture was odd - almost like a tough grapefruit and it was red, probably because of something it was soaked in or flavored with. It was crunchy, but not because of anything hard in it. It had a strange flavor and even stranger aftertaste. It was a little salty, but not in a salt kind of way. It is almost impossible to describe. It's not something I would eat frequently, but I could eat it again. Surprisingly, it didn't gross me out.
After we ate, we headed to the movie theater to watch Inglourious Basterds (I know this is not the correct way to spell either word, but it's the way the movie title is spelled). This movie is fantastic! We found it to be very entertaining. It's not a movie that everyone will want to see, but Justin and I enjoy other movies written by Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol. 1, Kill Bill Vol. 2, et al.). The movie takes place in Nazi-occupied France in the 1940s. Brad Pitt is the leader of a group of Jewis-American soldiers who are tasked with killing Nazis. There are several other stories intertwined in the movie and the movie is fairly comical and a little serious. The language and violence could be offensive to some people. Like I said, this is not a movie that will be enjoyed by everyone, but I did enjoy it.
Even though we didn't accomplish much of anything this weekend, other than eating a jellyfish, we did enjoy the weekend and that's what is important. Relaxing can accomplish a lot, too.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Katharine Hepburn's Brownies
Someone recommended this brownie recipe a while back and I tried it. I have made these brownies many times and they are delicious! They're easy and Justin and I both agree that they're better than boxed brownies. The recipe also uses ingredients that most people have around the house. One of the best reasons this recipe is better than a boxed mix is no partially hydrogenated oils = no trans fat! Yummy!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Guest Bedroom
This weekend, Justin and I decided to paint the guest bedroom. The room was originally a butter yellow, which was fine, but I wanted something else. There were also some holes that were filled with spackling and never painted.
I used a Valspar (from Lowe's) color called Palisade Blue for my room/office in our house in Tifton. I liked the color. It was soothing and familiar, something that I currently need in my life. Justin and I discussed it and decided to paint the guest bedroom in Atlanta Palisade Blue.
After breakfast Saturday morning, Justin and I moved the furniture out of the room and covered the moulding with tape. We also covered the floor with plastic drop cloths. When we painted the house in Tifton, we usually had the floor stripped down to the concrete slab and the base mouldings removed since we were installing the bamboo. It is so much easier and less stressful to paint like this. If you drop paint on the floor, oh well! No big deal!
I mainly "cut-in" around the doors and ceilings with a brush while Justin rolled the walls. It doesn't take long to paint when you have help and it's fun to have someone to talk to. We finished painting and got ready to go eat with friends at The Treehouse in Peachtree Hills.
Sunday morning, we touched up some areas and waited for it to dry before we removed the tape. After cleaning up the room, we began moving the furniture back in. This is always so exciting to me! We even made up the bed with our old down comforter. Mama said we could have the matelasse bedspread that used to be in her guest room. It's ivory and will look really nice in the blue room. I bought a rug that I used in my blue room in Tifton, so it now has a home in the guest room in Atlanta. After we got the furniture in the room, I began pulling random, unused decor items from other parts of the house to use in the guest room. I'm sure I'll make changes to this room in the future, but I used what I had lying around.
I'm pleased, but this room is a work in progress. The black desk will eventually be moved to another room, but it works in the guest room, so it will stay a little longer. I know a lot of the colors don't go together, but we'll make do for now. I also want to replace the closet doors with either bi-fold closet doors or a pair of regular doors. I absolutely do not like sliding closet doors. The closet organizer has to be off-center and one side of the clothes rods is practically useless. I am planning to paint the closet. None of the closets in this house are painted to match the room they are in, except for the master bedroom, which we painted.
Another "before" corner. That big hole behind the door is where the air vent grille belongs. We removed it to paint.
Accessories can really make a difference in a room.
The "after" picture. Of course our guests will be greeted each morning by Pete's and Annabelle's faces (in picture-form only).
We are planning to hem the curtains and move the rods higher. The curtains we previously used in this room were shorter and we never moved the rods. I would eventually like to replace the curtains, but these will work for now.
I used a Valspar (from Lowe's) color called Palisade Blue for my room/office in our house in Tifton. I liked the color. It was soothing and familiar, something that I currently need in my life. Justin and I discussed it and decided to paint the guest bedroom in Atlanta Palisade Blue.
After breakfast Saturday morning, Justin and I moved the furniture out of the room and covered the moulding with tape. We also covered the floor with plastic drop cloths. When we painted the house in Tifton, we usually had the floor stripped down to the concrete slab and the base mouldings removed since we were installing the bamboo. It is so much easier and less stressful to paint like this. If you drop paint on the floor, oh well! No big deal!
I mainly "cut-in" around the doors and ceilings with a brush while Justin rolled the walls. It doesn't take long to paint when you have help and it's fun to have someone to talk to. We finished painting and got ready to go eat with friends at The Treehouse in Peachtree Hills.
Sunday morning, we touched up some areas and waited for it to dry before we removed the tape. After cleaning up the room, we began moving the furniture back in. This is always so exciting to me! We even made up the bed with our old down comforter. Mama said we could have the matelasse bedspread that used to be in her guest room. It's ivory and will look really nice in the blue room. I bought a rug that I used in my blue room in Tifton, so it now has a home in the guest room in Atlanta. After we got the furniture in the room, I began pulling random, unused decor items from other parts of the house to use in the guest room. I'm sure I'll make changes to this room in the future, but I used what I had lying around.
I'm pleased, but this room is a work in progress. The black desk will eventually be moved to another room, but it works in the guest room, so it will stay a little longer. I know a lot of the colors don't go together, but we'll make do for now. I also want to replace the closet doors with either bi-fold closet doors or a pair of regular doors. I absolutely do not like sliding closet doors. The closet organizer has to be off-center and one side of the clothes rods is practically useless. I am planning to paint the closet. None of the closets in this house are painted to match the room they are in, except for the master bedroom, which we painted.
This is one corner of the room before we began painting.
Another "before" corner. That big hole behind the door is where the air vent grille belongs. We removed it to paint.
The window corner. We did leave this one chest in the room while we painted. It's heavy and somewhat difficult to move. It came through without any stray paint on it. 
Accessories can really make a difference in a room.
The "after" picture. Of course our guests will be greeted each morning by Pete's and Annabelle's faces (in picture-form only).
We are planning to hem the curtains and move the rods higher. The curtains we previously used in this room were shorter and we never moved the rods. I would eventually like to replace the curtains, but these will work for now.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
"I deserve a prize or a trophy!"
Last night, I called Justin to chat. The first thing he says to me is "I deserve a prize or a trophy!" I'm thinking, "Ooo...he fixed something at the house."
This is what actually happened, which is way better than anything else he could have done...
He walked to the mailbox yesterday afternoon to get the mail. As he walked back to the house, he noticed something move very quickly across the driveway. He kept watching for more movement and saw the critter again in the yard. He walked closer and noticed part of the animal still sticking out from under a leaf. He picked-up the leaf and got a good view of the critter. Any guesses as to what it was?
Yes ma'am! It was a SNAKE! Justin said it was pretty small, but he caught up to it and killed it. He said he couldn't believe it could move that fast. I said, "The one I chased with the lawn mower was really fast, too." I asked him how he killed it and he said with his shoe. I asked him if he wore his work shoes and he said, "Nope. Flip-flops."
You read that correctly - Justin stomped a snake to death with his flip-flop covered foot. I was impressed. I asked him if it was brown and he said "Nah, more of a greenish-brown." I said, "Are you sure it wasn't brown?" and he said, "Yeah, it was kind of brown, but it had a little green in it." I asked again and he said "Actually, it was brown and I know it was the same one you saw while you were mowing."
That's the correct answer!
This is what actually happened, which is way better than anything else he could have done...
He walked to the mailbox yesterday afternoon to get the mail. As he walked back to the house, he noticed something move very quickly across the driveway. He kept watching for more movement and saw the critter again in the yard. He walked closer and noticed part of the animal still sticking out from under a leaf. He picked-up the leaf and got a good view of the critter. Any guesses as to what it was?
Yes ma'am! It was a SNAKE! Justin said it was pretty small, but he caught up to it and killed it. He said he couldn't believe it could move that fast. I said, "The one I chased with the lawn mower was really fast, too." I asked him how he killed it and he said with his shoe. I asked him if he wore his work shoes and he said, "Nope. Flip-flops."
You read that correctly - Justin stomped a snake to death with his flip-flop covered foot. I was impressed. I asked him if it was brown and he said "Nah, more of a greenish-brown." I said, "Are you sure it wasn't brown?" and he said, "Yeah, it was kind of brown, but it had a little green in it." I asked again and he said "Actually, it was brown and I know it was the same one you saw while you were mowing."
That's the correct answer!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Happy Birthday, Carrie!
Today is my sister's thirty-first birthday. We went out to eat for her birthday on Thursday. She requested dinner at Giulio's in Valdosta, so we headed there. It was yummy, as usual.
Happy Birthday, Carrie! Hope it's a great one!
Happy Birthday, Carrie! Hope it's a great one!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
One down, about 23 to go
A few weeks ago, Justin mentions that he has been researching windows and wants us to replace the windows in our house. I kind of laugh and think, "Yeah, like we can do that!" He says new windows will help with heating and cooling costs because they will be much more energy efficient than our current windows. If our new windows meet certain criteria, we'll also get tax credit.
The next weekend, he drags me to Lowe's, Home Depot, and a window and door store. I realize he's not only serious about replacing all of the windows, but we're going to do it ourselves. Justin and I are no novices when it comes to DIY home improvement, but replacing windows seemed a little out of our league. Windows keep the outside from coming in. Windows keep burglars from coming in. Windows keep bugs from coming in. Windows can even keep snakes from coming in.
After researching nearly every window currently on the market, we decided to use American Craftsman windows from Home Depot. American Craftsman is owned by Andersen, and in my opinion, Andersen makes quality windows. We spent quite a while playing with the display windows and learned all about them. We got some quotes for the windows and learned about all of the options and features the windows offered. We were walking around the window and door area of HD and found their window sale bin. We rummaged through it and found three windows that were the size we needed. Someone ordered them and then decided not to purchase them. They were pretty much exactly what were were looking for, except these were a nicer series than we were planning to buy. We thought about buying them, but decided to wait.
The next weekend, Justin said he really wanted to go ahead and order a couple of the windows and attempt to install them. We went to HD and got them to run a few more prices for us, including those sale windows. We decided to go ahead and buy two of the three sale windows since they were so cheap. We ended up saving $300 by buying them instead of ordering windows. We loaded them in the trunk of the Honda and headed home. I never thought the Honda would be hauling windows around Atlanta. The Honda has also hauled seven tires for Justin's car. Yes, you can fit seven tires for a Mercedes in the trunk and backseat of a Honda.
Due to the expense associated with new windows, we're going to do a few at the time. Those windows will cost several thousands of dollars and we just don't want to spend that much at one time. We also don't have room in the house to store that many windows.
Yesterday, we decide to install one of the windows. Justin has watched many videos online and knew exactly what to do. We had printed directions from HD to refer to. We gathered all of our supplies and started removing the old window. It was actually very easy. We decided to install these first two windows in our bedroom since they would be very slightly different from the ones in the rest of the house. We cleaned the opening and prepared the new window for installation. This was actually very easy, too. We put the window in the opening and it fit perfectly. We were amazed. After shimming it and making sure everything was level, Justin screwed it in place. Then he caulked the inside and outside. We still need to paint and install the new stop moulding for the inside part of the window, but that won't take long. The new window looks fantastic! We're also surprised at how much outside noise the new window blocks. We can barely hear those naughty chipmunks chirping at daybreak now!
This is the window before we started working.
Justin removed all of the stop moulding and was about to remove the bottom sash.
The next weekend, he drags me to Lowe's, Home Depot, and a window and door store. I realize he's not only serious about replacing all of the windows, but we're going to do it ourselves. Justin and I are no novices when it comes to DIY home improvement, but replacing windows seemed a little out of our league. Windows keep the outside from coming in. Windows keep burglars from coming in. Windows keep bugs from coming in. Windows can even keep snakes from coming in.
After researching nearly every window currently on the market, we decided to use American Craftsman windows from Home Depot. American Craftsman is owned by Andersen, and in my opinion, Andersen makes quality windows. We spent quite a while playing with the display windows and learned all about them. We got some quotes for the windows and learned about all of the options and features the windows offered. We were walking around the window and door area of HD and found their window sale bin. We rummaged through it and found three windows that were the size we needed. Someone ordered them and then decided not to purchase them. They were pretty much exactly what were were looking for, except these were a nicer series than we were planning to buy. We thought about buying them, but decided to wait.
The next weekend, Justin said he really wanted to go ahead and order a couple of the windows and attempt to install them. We went to HD and got them to run a few more prices for us, including those sale windows. We decided to go ahead and buy two of the three sale windows since they were so cheap. We ended up saving $300 by buying them instead of ordering windows. We loaded them in the trunk of the Honda and headed home. I never thought the Honda would be hauling windows around Atlanta. The Honda has also hauled seven tires for Justin's car. Yes, you can fit seven tires for a Mercedes in the trunk and backseat of a Honda.
Due to the expense associated with new windows, we're going to do a few at the time. Those windows will cost several thousands of dollars and we just don't want to spend that much at one time. We also don't have room in the house to store that many windows.
Yesterday, we decide to install one of the windows. Justin has watched many videos online and knew exactly what to do. We had printed directions from HD to refer to. We gathered all of our supplies and started removing the old window. It was actually very easy. We decided to install these first two windows in our bedroom since they would be very slightly different from the ones in the rest of the house. We cleaned the opening and prepared the new window for installation. This was actually very easy, too. We put the window in the opening and it fit perfectly. We were amazed. After shimming it and making sure everything was level, Justin screwed it in place. Then he caulked the inside and outside. We still need to paint and install the new stop moulding for the inside part of the window, but that won't take long. The new window looks fantastic! We're also surprised at how much outside noise the new window blocks. We can barely hear those naughty chipmunks chirping at daybreak now!
This is the window before we started working.
Another view of the old window.
Justin is removing the stop moulding. The stop moulding keeps the window in the opening (actually, the nails/screws in the tracks do that, but the moulding helps) and helps "finish" the window. It makes the window pretty.
Justin removed all of the stop moulding and was about to remove the bottom sash.
The bottom sash is removed and Justin is working on removing the tracks and springs so the upper sash can be removed.
Justin is removing the metal tracks.
After both sashes and the old track have been removed.
Justin caulking the opening, preparing it for the new window. With his mouth open, Justin looks like a woman applying mascara, doesn't he?
Yay! The new window in place!
There was a very small space between the window top and the framing, so Justin sprayed a small amount of insulating foam. A little bit creeped out. After it dried, Justin trimmed it and caulked around it. The new stop moulding will cover it.
My man and his caulk gun...shortly before we ran out of caulk.
I promise I did help. Justin did do most of the work, but I handed him tools when necessary and I helped lift the window in place. I was also the official project photographer. I'm not going to quit my day job.
We installed a second window Sunday after breakfast. We aren't sure how long the first one took since we stopped a few times to do other things. The second one took a little over an hour. I'm sure that time will be shortened as we continue installing windows.
I'll post pictures after we install the painted stop moulding next weekend.
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