We Need a Crane

Because The Berlin's Wall is on the move! Yeap, that's right, we're moving back to Florida! We are in the midst of packing our recently unpacked stuff. Wish we saved the boxes. Trying to sell our house and prepare for our big trek back!

Baseball Teams in Our Backyard

I'm having way too much fun with my new camera. Especially the 12x zoom lens. You can't tell from the pictures but these birds were about 100 feet from our house on the trees by our back fence. Steve brought home a few bird feeders and we put them in our backyard and we are attracting so many neat birds! We have a resident Cardinal and Blue Jay, all we need is an Oriole and we will have a baseball team trifecta!

Wood you?

After pining away at other womens before and after home improvement blogs wondering if I was capable of such feats I decided it was time for me to try my hand at something. I knew I wanted to make one of our bedrooms into an office and thought what better way to start my new home improvement streak then on a new, er, I mean old desk.

So after scouring craigslist for days I finally found a little beauty, anciently old and all beat up, perfect! I was sold. I immediately called the lady to find out if it was still available and before she could finish the word yes I was half way to my car.

Once I got there I realized I had a minor problem. Either her size dimensions of the desk were incorrect or I measured wrong. Knowing that I'm a stellar mathematician (insert ridiculously obvious sarcastic laugh here) I knew it couldn't be me! I swear we tried every combination of ways to make this desk fit into my car and after all of them failing I had to step back and realize it wasn't going to happen. Now, if I was in Florida buying this desk from someone they would have said, "sorry kid your s.o.l." but since I'm in Virginia Beach, the lady without hesitation said, "wait a minute honey, let me get my SUV and I'll take it to your house." Stunned, I replied "Are you sure?" She kindly said, "absolutely honey!"

So off we went caravaning back to my house. Of course, the whole way back home I'm plotting what I will do if this is some scam and she is going to rob me, steal my belongings, beat me and then leave WITHOUT me getting my desk! (I know, I'm a paranoid freak). So after rehearsing all the martial arts self defense moves I know in my head we finally get to my house. We unload the desk, I pay her (no delivery fee or mugging) and I happily skip away!

So, if you are still with me after reading my pathetically long winded story when all you want to see is the darn before and after picture, I will not keep you in suspense any longer.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I know it's subtle, but I'm quite proud of it. I did this entire project without the help of the hubby. I researched online what products to use and how to apply them. For those who know me well, can you even picture me in my garage wearing a mask, staining wood furniture? I think not...but I did!!

Look how beat up it was! Glass rings, stamps, marks. I lightly sanded the entire desk. Next, I applied a wood conditioner to really repair all this damage.

Next, I applied a dark walnut colored stain. After it was dry I applied a poly finish to protect it from everyday dings and scratches.

Then I installed new hardware.

And wala!

How Many Adjectives are in Your Coffee?

Walking into my favorite Starbucks to order my favorite drink was quite different today. The shopping plaza was packed due to last minute shoppers cramming in the last few minutes before Christmas Eve and that meant Starbucks was packed too. Normally this would not bother me too much but I know that my drink order is a bit, uh, well… high maintenance.

Let me back up, in Boca Raton, Florida EVERYONE is on some fad diet or some coffee enema diet so hearing long winded bizarre coffee names pour out of the baristas mouth as they yell out completed orders to come pick up doesn’t phase you. But in Virginia Beach it is a rare, rare sight. So as I wait for my drink order behind 10 patiently waiting other people and in front of about 6 new people who just walked in I hear drinks being called out left and right. Normal, Starbucks drinks. Grande coffee, tall latte, Venti Hot Chocolate. And then I hear mine. I brace myself, knowing what is coming. I know everyone is gonna think, “huh, what was that drink? So then the barista shouts it out above the large crowd….

"Tall, Decaf, Non-Fat, Soy, Sugar-free, No Whip, Cinnamon Dolce, Latte."

I quickly put my huge Jackie O sunglasses on, bowed my head and walked up to the counter, grabbed my coffee and ran out!

...I think it's time for a new favorite drink.

Happy Hanukkah 2009!!