. . .A carpenter with a fair fee.
Beginning today, I imagine most people will be madly engaged in celebrating Christmas in its various forms (Before, During, and After).
At our house, we will honor and celebrate the season by decorating our house with Round Tuits.
Have you ever received a Round Tuit at Christmas? I believe I got the first one ever in elementary school at an ornament exchange. One child brought a large red, breakable ball with silver glittery letters that proclaimed, "Round Tuit." Attached to the hook was a small tag that read, "Do you often say, 'I'll do it when I get a round tuit?' Here's your round tuit, so get cracking."
You can imagine how much that thrilled me. However, the adults were greatly entertained and I quickly and willingly lost the round tuit to some grown-up.
It became a family joke, though. And as I grew older I began to appreciate it, and how its important message was delivered with humor.
So this Christmas---the first one we aren't knee deep in some sort of Big Huge New Transition and Associated Stress or Major Catastrophe (although I hesitate to curse myself by even saying anything like this)---we are finally going to get around to our long list of to dos.
While other people combed malls and stores over the past week, seeking gifts, I spent my time at Home Depot and the local hardware store buying supplies. While other people hung lights and garland to accentuate the holiday feel of their home, I prepped walls. While other people baked goodies and handcrafted knick knacks, I studied electrical How To manuals and reviewed the difference between red wires and blue. While other people devoted time to a Rankin/Bass marathon, I Tivo'd Flip this House and Holmes on Homes and watched them as if I was going to be tested.
Today the carpenter (not to be confused with The Carpenter) is coming to discuss what he can do to help us salvage our kitchen cabinets. Our cabinets are solid, hardwood. They are exquisite material-wise. Exquisitely ugly and in need of repair aesthetically. But we believe the best thing is to try to rehabilitate and salvage them.
We've got two bathrooms to paint (one needs the paper stripped from the walls, first), a wall to repair, door stops to install, a new door to stain, blinds to hang, three pieces of furniture to build, linoleum to research, and a mantle to design. At least. If we get this and the electrical stuff finished, we'll see...because the list is long.
We'll be constructively occupied (pun intended).
Copyright 2007 Julie Pippert
Also blogging at:
Using My Words
Julie Pippert REVIEWS: Get a real opinion about BOOKS, MUSIC and MORE
Julie Pippert RECOMMENDS: A real opinion about HELPFUL and TIME-SAVING products
Moms Speak Up: Talking about the environment, dangerous imports, health care, food safety, media and marketing, education, politics and many other hot topics of concern.
Beginning today, I imagine most people will be madly engaged in celebrating Christmas in its various forms (Before, During, and After).
At our house, we will honor and celebrate the season by decorating our house with Round Tuits.
Have you ever received a Round Tuit at Christmas? I believe I got the first one ever in elementary school at an ornament exchange. One child brought a large red, breakable ball with silver glittery letters that proclaimed, "Round Tuit." Attached to the hook was a small tag that read, "Do you often say, 'I'll do it when I get a round tuit?' Here's your round tuit, so get cracking."
You can imagine how much that thrilled me. However, the adults were greatly entertained and I quickly and willingly lost the round tuit to some grown-up.
It became a family joke, though. And as I grew older I began to appreciate it, and how its important message was delivered with humor.
So this Christmas---the first one we aren't knee deep in some sort of Big Huge New Transition and Associated Stress or Major Catastrophe (although I hesitate to curse myself by even saying anything like this)---we are finally going to get around to our long list of to dos.
While other people combed malls and stores over the past week, seeking gifts, I spent my time at Home Depot and the local hardware store buying supplies. While other people hung lights and garland to accentuate the holiday feel of their home, I prepped walls. While other people baked goodies and handcrafted knick knacks, I studied electrical How To manuals and reviewed the difference between red wires and blue. While other people devoted time to a Rankin/Bass marathon, I Tivo'd Flip this House and Holmes on Homes and watched them as if I was going to be tested.
Today the carpenter (not to be confused with The Carpenter) is coming to discuss what he can do to help us salvage our kitchen cabinets. Our cabinets are solid, hardwood. They are exquisite material-wise. Exquisitely ugly and in need of repair aesthetically. But we believe the best thing is to try to rehabilitate and salvage them.
We've got two bathrooms to paint (one needs the paper stripped from the walls, first), a wall to repair, door stops to install, a new door to stain, blinds to hang, three pieces of furniture to build, linoleum to research, and a mantle to design. At least. If we get this and the electrical stuff finished, we'll see...because the list is long.
We'll be constructively occupied (pun intended).
Copyright 2007 Julie Pippert
Also blogging at:
Using My Words
Julie Pippert REVIEWS: Get a real opinion about BOOKS, MUSIC and MORE
Julie Pippert RECOMMENDS: A real opinion about HELPFUL and TIME-SAVING products
Moms Speak Up: Talking about the environment, dangerous imports, health care, food safety, media and marketing, education, politics and many other hot topics of concern.
Comments
I so love Home Depot at the holidays, where it's empty, nobody but you and the contractors!
Oh, house projects--they never seem to end, do they?
Good luck with the renos. It all sounds very exciting. Will we see before and after shots? When you get round tuit?
Heidi
Merry Christmas Julie!
And Holmes on Homes is one of my faves, too.
Have fun with the projects. I did some paper stripping not long ago and I can tell you that it is about the eighth circle.
Merry Christmas!