random thoughts – Day 2,294 (Friday) – domesticity

Guest room window film.

Today’s domestic effort to chip away at the house list was covering the guest bathroom window with privacy film. This allows elimination of a sheer curtain and the temperamental old-timey roller window shade that goes down but not back up. The film for this window has an alligator-type texture and when the sun shines through it, it throws holographic prisms. I like it better than the film installed in the main bathroom window. The main bathroom might very well be changed to the fun one. 

Later, two cans of spray paint were bought for the next stage of the oil tank enclosure painting project. Tonight's visit to the hardware store was free of clerks attempting to be helpful and it was great. I even wandered the store and saw some nice interior lighting fixtures and outdoor flower pots but no garden decor, which have been a quest item since 2016 when I couldn't find any for the Lowell house. 

The in-between time of the two activities was spent reading and roasting veggies for lunch. There was a rare itch to socialize, and a debate took place about reaching out to see if anyone wanted to do something tonight. Thanks to the inability to have any ideas to suggest for a proposed social activity because it is basically a foreign activity for me, the desire to socialize evaporated before any texts were made that might have committed me to do so. It’s hard when checking availability with people and their willingness to leave their own homes is based on the idea at hand and there is no idea, because why make a plan if there nobody to do it with. A real chicken and egg situation. 

Once I hit the point where the idea of socializing felt like too much work, it then felt a little bit like I had dodged a bullet. Whew! The night was spent re-watching a series I already watched, and then marveling over the fireflies. The first one was at the living room window, and there were a couple spotted in the back yard. So cool.

random thoughts – Day 2,293 (Thursday) – tackling the list

Much like the running project list I always maintained for work, there is a running list of projects for the house. The rate of additions to the list usually exceeds the pace of completed items coming off. This week, progress is being recorded.

On Wednesday, pruning was done out front and the oil tank enclosure out back was covered with a fresh coat of spray paint. Today, the plan for artsy-fartsy embellishment of the tank cover took shape with a list of spray paint colors to be procured and an solid plan for the design.

Also today, the narrow window in the bathroom adjoining the main bedroom received a coating of static cling privacy film. The film replaces a privacy curtain which was attached by rods at the top and bottom of the window and made the window inaccessible. 

It was about an hour of fun with a spray bottle of water, scissors, and a box cutter. The hardest part of working with the film was trimming the excess after it was in place. I probably need a new blade. Bonus content with the new film is the option to open the window for air flow. A different pattern of film was bought for the guest bathroom, which will probably be installed on Friday. The second window should be much quicker now that I'm experienced in the technique. Maybe I can hire myself out for oil tank cover painting and window privacy film installation. 

The walls in the bedroom and dining room are beginning to speak to me and the artwork plan is formulating. The added bonus to finally hanging art on the walls is the clearing of space in the craft room so it can become functional (also on the list).

I love the taste of progress. It’s delicious like chocolate. Or Ben & Jerry Karamel Sutra ice cream.

random thoughts – Day 2,292 (Wednesday) – breakfast and ideas

My sister and I (Family 1.0) celebrated Father’s Day with Dad today, which was my sister’s day off. We always assume one or both of our half-sisters (Family 2.0) have plans with him on the actual day (along with his birthday and major holidays). This might currently be an incorrect assumption, but there was a stretch of time of it being true, so there is historical precedent. 

Anyway. It was a nice morning. My sister made her famous Southern biscuits and gravy and extra breakfast sausages, I brought over a fruit salad, and there was coffee. Three hours flew by in a blink and then Dad headed his way and I came home.

Better than it was, but basic.

The weather made it a nice day for getting things done. Once the sunshine relocated to behind the trees after blasting the front of the house, the new, cute mini chain saw came out to play. Several branches of the rhododendron that were too thick for the loppers were cut and stuffed into a bin to be transported to the neighborhood yard waste area another time. It was quick work out front and then it was out to the back of the house to the oil tank enclosure armed with a sanding block, a cloth, gloves, and two cans of silver spray paint.

One can of spray paint covered about 95% of the enclosure and I was glad to have bought two. It's not perfect, but it is definitely better than it was. It is just very, very basic. Boring, even. I think it can be better.

Recoating the big tin can in silver was a good reminder that I like playing with spray paint and I wondered about taking the project a step or two further. In Lowell, I used plastic ferns, various weeds, and a foil grill tray as stencils to spray paint a green deck umbrella that had some faded stripey marks from sun exposure while closed. By the time I was done with the navy blue, red, and tan paints, the faded parts were hidden and I had an improved deck umbrella with a pattern of leaves and dots.

Previous project, new inspiration.

I may replicate the concept on the oil tank enclosure. Nobody but two neighbors, the oil delivery guy, and I will see it, but it will be fun doing it, so there is value there. There are tons of ferns in the back yard, some of which are huge, so this could be fun. 

If the oil tank enclosure turns out to be as much fun as I imagine, there is a shed at the end of the driveway that also needs some love. It’s currently a very boring white barn style with black trim and the plan has been to paint it a color close to the new siding (still to be installed, thank goodness I’m not naïve enough to be sitting here holding my breath). The new main color may just be the start of something a bit grander on the shed. Or not. We’ll see. Sometimes, one little task launches an avalanche of creativity, and sometimes the onslaught of ideas is grander than the attention span.

random thoughts – Day 2,291 (Tuesday) – dancing memories

Prepping for barre work.

The new Tuesday dance plan was activated today when I met up with some long-ago dance friends (circa high school) during their weekly dance session. With a recording of the old dance studio music playing, eight of us did the Denishawn barre and center work, followed by many dances.

Musical memory and muscle memory ruled the day and got me through. At the barre, there were shaky one-legged balancing holds where some strength needs to be rebuilt. I nearly always remembered the music, and if I didn’t think about it too much, muscle memory kicked in and the movements took over. When the muscle memory was spotty or if it was something I hadn’t ever fully learned, I had seven dance pals to follow. One even called out the steps on a dance I wasn’t familiar with.

We ran through a lot of the repertoire. In many cases, I remembered the costumes we wore back in the day more than the dance itself, which is on brand for me. “Creation” featured metallic silver leotards under black capes. “Tales of Vienna Woods” had light green dresses with flower chains diagonally across the torso. “Chopin Preludes” (Opus 28 No. 20 followed immediately by No. 7) was a maroon leotard with a maroon wrap skirt.

We did dances with tour jetes and turns for which I didn’t fully trust my recently wonky left knee, the steadiness of my feet, or my ballet slippers on the slippery floor. We danced soft, quiet dances that required lots of control and still broke a sweat. There were dances with quick footwork and spins that made me dizzy. It was glorious. It felt like home. Several hours later I was a little sore, but in a good way. Tomorrow I may be sore in the barely can move way and that will also be good.

Baby chain saw!

In other exciting news, before going to dance, I visited Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and bought one of the tiny, adorable chain saws for pruning that StepDad told me about. It even comes in its own little hard case. Now I need a free and dry day so I can try it out. Yard work fun times are ahead and I can hardly wait.

random thoughts – Day 2,290 (Monday) – summer monday

Time has a different quality when recent schedule obligations are suddenly gone. Sundays are changed for the summer with no dance group until September. Monday rehearsals with my dance partner are on hold until we start working on new choreography for whatever showcase is next on our schedules. Tuesday nights are now free since the show with that night's group took place last week. The days (and nights) feel weird now. There are two enticing options available for Tuesday dancing, and it may take a coin toss to choose the winner.

The refrigeration adventure ended today with the collection of Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Dining Room and Frigid Air (temporary). It was delivered last Thursday by two remarkably strong guys who aren't much bigger than I am, and collected today by three very strong gigantic guys who looked like they may have been on a day off from professional football camp.

Once the (unneeded) loaner fridge was gone, it was back to righting the dining room. The rug was rolled out again and the table shifted back to a newly modified version of its location. Previously, it was centered over the medallion in the middle of the rug. Now, the table is more centered under the pendant light that is tragically not centered in the room and has been a source of angst. When the table is centered in the room, the light hovers beyond the end of the table and presents a head injury hazard.

The search for new lighting has been underway for months. A flush mount ceiling fan would hide the lack of centering and provide air flow for the area, but I would still know it’s not centered. Centering the fixture will require an electrician and then ceiling repair work. Twin Scandinavian pendant lights over the table would provide centering (and look really cool), and require new wiring for the second light. This is the framework for the ongoing party of one dining room debate.

Because it was raining all day (at varying intensities), there was next to no interest in going out anywhere. StepDad told me on Sunday about his recently acquired, battery operated four-inch chain saw and I was tempted to go to the store where he got it to buy one for myself, but then it was raining. Maybe tomorrow (my new favorite day of the week).

Corn!

Now that calendar says it’s officially summer and corn on the cob consumption has begun. The modern grocery store packaging of shucked corn wrapped in plastic makes it so much easier. There is no guessing about what is in inside or how big the ears are, and no store patrons standing in the way and making a mess ripping back husks and tossing the ears back. At home, there is no messy husk and silk removal needed. It’s so civilized. And the corn was delicious, despite the near total lack of nutritional value. Hooray for early summer corn. 

random thoughts – Day 2,289 (Sunday) – a day in the life

It was a quiet day at the house. Kiki did her thing, I did mine. There was food. There was reading (another book finished!). I went to a store and endured yet another too-common retail interaction. 

This time, instead of non-helpful attempts at help, the issue was over an item on sale that didn’t ring up at the sale price. When I pointed it out, the cashier made some lame claim that the sale price would show up when he hit “total.” It did not. I noted the continued error, he repeated the incorrect total, and for a long moment he seemed to expect me to just pay the non-sale price. Finally, he fixed the error. I hate that customers have to watch every price ring up at every store to avoid being overcharged, but that seems to be the situation.

Too close to the house.

In the evening, I walked around the house to check the plants. There is a remaining need for hedge trimming out front. In addition to general shaping and pruning, there is a need to cut the backsides of everything because it’s all grown too close to the house and the siding crew needs to be able to access the house. Maybe tomorrow (procrastination rules!). 

There is no set date for the new siding project to begin, or even when the correct color will deliver, so there is no time pressure there. I'll need to set an arbitrary date to get myself to finish because I do love a deadline. 

Basically, it was mostly just another day in the life.

random thoughts – Day 2,288 (Saturday) – art and solstice

It was a lovely day for a drive, and the drive was already planned, which means it happened. I’m much better at executing firm plans than with a spontaneous seat-of-the-pants approach (shocker!).

Today’s plan was to attend the reception for the Lowellscapes exhibit at The Brush Art Gallery and Studios. The invitational show features photography of scenes in Lowell by nine artists (including me). It was the perfect kick in the butt to get me off the couch and engaged in something I love.

One photographer talking,
another one filming.

The show looks great and the reception was well attended. It was fun being back in the art world and seeing a former colleague, former fellow board members, and patrons in the arts community again after a strange and busy year away from it. There were refreshments and beverages, and three of the photographers took turns talking about their process and photos.

After the reception, I headed back home to change from indoor art reception clothes (black ankle pants, white tee shirt, pink floral patterned bomber jacket with black trim) to outside solstice fire ensemble (camo patterned pants, black shirt, white and black hoodie) and drove to my friends house in the woods of a nearby town.

Fire for the solstice.

We spent the night before the longest day of the year with a fire in their big yard. We roasted marshmallows and ate s’mores, told stories and laughed. I burned my mouth removing a toasted marshmallow from the metal skewer which is a very different experience from when the marshmallow is toasted on a stick. Trust me when I say it hurts (in four places!). Zero stars, I do not recommend.

A few fireflies twinkled in the woods. The neighbor’s cats passed through the yard a few times, and once, one of them had a chipmunk in its mouth. After dark, the clear sky shone full of stars. We wrote wishes for the coming season and tossed them into the fire. It was a perfect night after a great day.