All Things EARTH... part 2

[laurspag]

Melody, I wish you a speedy recovery!  Your little trees are cute.  I am very into decorating, but I have trouble finding what I want sometimes.  Over the past few years Pier 1 was a big deal for me.  While they are still an online store, the stuff they have has changed drastically.  I didn't see anything interesting when I looked about a week ago.

 

Anita, you mentioned leaving Christmas in Georgia...do you mean you didn't bring along any of your decorations?

 

I have always had an artificial tree. Then the first year my husband and I were together, he wanted a real tree, something he had been getting for a few years at that point.  We loved the whole process of the family going together and picking the tree out, bringing it home.  I wasn't keen on the cost, and since I like to put the tree up early, it would be shedding a ton of needles by Christmas.  We continue for a few years, and then I dragged my artificial tree out of the basement.  This particular tree is 31 years.  While I don't have it now, my daughter does.  It is an awesome tree.  It was really, really big though, so we have a smaller one now.  We have a cheap tree in the living room that I would like to replace, but my focus is elsewhere right now.  Maybe next year...

 

I know what you mean about loving fabric.   I am constantly thinking about making the drapes.  While I could get started, I have not yet because I want to make sure the send me what they are supposed to.

 

I too find that I have a style.  I don't like to label myself either, but I definitely have things that I like and use.  That fabric you posted reminds me a lot of something I was looking at originally for a fabric choice.  It is a nice pattern.

 

I can honestly say that I don't like polka dots or geometric prints.  Generally, I don't like plaid or stripes except in certain instances.  I was kind of surprised I chose a plaid for the kitchen.    So there are exceptions, anyway.

 

I recall you posting the picture of your bedroom, and I think that fabric will look great.  A friend of mine purchased these roller shades years ago, where you ironed on the fabric.  I'm assuming the roller blind has some sort of fusing on it.  The reason I remember is that it was for her bathroom, and she had asked me to sew a shower curtain from the same fabric.  I recall that is was a great look.

 

I love the idea that we can sometimes make exactly what we are looking for, you know?

 

While I am bummed with the delayed order and some of the mix ups, I am good with everything.  As Melody said, the delay for the couch means that I won't be rushing around to move things at Christmas time.  That was the one thing I wasn't loving about the whole project - the timing.  When I started, the chairs were supposed to be hear in mid-October, and then everything started to get pushed back.  It's all good.  I will have more time to get everything done.

 

We stopped yesterday and we looked at some carpet samples.  I think we found what we will do.  We will have some wall to wall carpet cut and bound to the dimensions we want.  I will have to see if I can look it up online later to post a link.

[Anita Latte]

Laurie...I had to leave my Christmas lights behind in GA. I had an oversized tub...one of those huge ones with a hinged lid that are impossible to carry without two people...full of strands of lights and icicle lights, lit garland, and other outdoor light things. The move from GA was something of a mess and I ended up leaving many things behind, including that tub. I was able to keep all my tree ornaments and a few other indoor things. But the big tree and the lights are no longer mine.

 

I think it's kind of wonderful that you've had a tree for 31 years! People say things aren't made like they used to be...but I think it's absolutely true. Some things have improved in their design and may be functionally better than before but at the same time, it feels like the parts and the manufacture isn't as sturdy. I suppose that's how things have to be in a culture that wants to buy cheap because the tendency is to replace often with the latest and greatest. It makes me sad. I get that there needs to be a steady stream of innovation in order for companies to continue to operate at a profit but it just feeds a culture that I find to be wasteful and creating a lot of landfill fodder.

 

I don't know if I have a bias against any pattern...except something that is too uniform...I like a bit of balanced asymmetry...a mix of sizes...and bit of random on the repeat. For instance, I like my Mexican blankets which are stripes...but stripes of differing widths and overlapping...and overall it's a pattern but it isn't evenly spaced stripes all the same width in the same order, which I have never liked.

 

I used to enjoy browsing Pier 1 Christmas. They usually had fun Christmas decorations...some of my favorite decorations are from Pier 1. But I usually wouldn't buy anything until it was on sale.

 

The idea that we can make exactly what we are looking for is one that I have a love/hate relationship with. LOL. It creates a backlog of projects in my life because I generally fall back into the idea that I should just make what I want...for too many things probably. 

 

It feels like Christmas is coming earlier this year. I think it's a statement on 2020. I wonder if people just aren't feeling very thankful this year. And it can be hard to look forward to a day that is traditionally about family gatherings and feasting when you can't gather and feasting seems ridiculous without that gathering. It feels like people just want to forget Thanksgiving this year and look toward Christmas which has a lot more associations that can be enjoyed. I haven't necessarily starting watching Christmas shows but Netflix has some shows that are set in the holiday season but not necessarily focusing on Christmas itself...just a story set in that time. I've been watching those...

[awhfy]

Looks like we’re heading into more restrictions here, I expect they’ll cancel elective surgeries by next week. All our local schools have gone to on-line learning through the Christmas break. We’ve been asked to really consider ordering take out this week as many restaurants have more food than they can store. Risotto balls & lasagne in my near future!  We have final payment coming up on our Celebrity b2b on 1 Dec, serious discussions here

 

everyone stay safe. Melody

[Anita Latte]

I'm glad you got your surgery in Melody. I think that's definitely a hot button for me...the whole putting on hold of so many other medical needs. I understand about truly elective surgeries...but there are non-life threatening but life elongating medical needs that feel like they are being neglected. It's all very complicated and sad...

 

DH is nearing the end of his first term. It ends next week. Then he has until January 4 before classes begin again. He's been going hard all term so I know he'll be ready for the break...and likely he is looking forward to having all that free time...I just wish a visit home was on the calendar. Oh well.

 

We're moving forward with house projects. This is the current state of the pantry now:

 

 

Most of the demo is done. It might be more accurate to call it de-construction because we salvaged what we could of the previous framing and even some larger chunks of dry wall which we will use to patch that exposed strip on the back wall. 

 

This photo really highlights the cathedral ceiling and one of the skylights. I have 3 skylights...and this one is one reason why I'm not going to bother with ceiling over the pantry. Going to make it freestanding walls like the one you see on the right. Maybe you can see the electrical outlet that is already in the pantry? We plan to move the one on the right wall that is pretty much where we want the new pantry wall to be. We plan to shorten the electrical line to make a mirror image electrical outlet inside the pantry on the right side and then add an outlet to the wall centered in the space between the new pantry wall and the edge of the dividing wall...in line with the light switches.

 

That new corner is where we plan to put the coffee station. I'm thinking furniture not cabinets. Think about those cabinets of old with the exposed shelves above and the counter top area and the drawers or doors below? Something like that... It could be a table and then wall shelves... But that's the idea.

 

The last of the demo is to scrape out the tiles that were in the pantry...and then cut into the laminate floor to be able to put the sill plates for the new walls directly onto the slab. 

 

I've been looking at tile. I've ordered three samples but I basically know the one I want. If it lives up to the photos, I'll be ordering it. All my research into style and interior decorating and design has really been helping me lately. After previously staring at seemingly endless pages of tile and finding nothing that I really liked...I did a quick search with key words and then bam, hit it right off the bat. And suddenly I had three tiles that I liked...one that I really LOVE...again, if it can deliver in person.

 

The backsplash area looks awful. The paint that is there is actually the same color as the wall...it's just the under cabinet lighting that makes it look so yellow in the photo. The exposed white is where the old short backsplash on the old laminate countertop used to be. The sellers refaced the cabinets with the current white shaker style...and picked the countertop, which I really like a lot. They picked the hardware too but I got to pick the placement. 

 

The current thought on the backsplash is to do a waterproof venetian plaster manufactured in Italy. The product itself is basically waterproof but there is an additional waterproofing coat that you can put on top of the plaster to really seal it in if it will be subject to real water...like in a SHOWER. I'm seriously thinking about using the plaster in the shower areas when we redo them. I don't feel the need to do the extra coat for the kitchen...that backsplash won't ever be subject to direct water spray.

 

Laurie...what carpet did you pick out? 

Edited November 18, 2020 by Anita Latte

[MJC]

Ah, the backlog of projects, lol. I can dream up new ones a lot faster than I get the old ones done!

 

Anita it looks like you are adding a lot of functionality to your kitchen with the new pantry layout. Looking forward to seeing the end result.

 

I am still finding wardrobe holes for my new life at home as a non-teacher. This time it is thin sweaters for those chilly days at home. I have a lot of cardigans for layering that worked well on campus, but I just don't like wearing them around the house. They get in the way, they're too warm with a shirt underneath, I don't like to cook in them. Whatever it is, I'm just not happy. Sweater on, sweater off, all day long.

 

So I decided I wanted some lightweight cashmere without the high price tag. TJ Maxx to the rescue. The cashier looked at me and said "I know what your favorite color is."  😃

 

L-R

A great teal Columbia fleece for $29! I am definitely wearing fleece more often so it's nice to have another one. Then a soft blue/green that matches my eyes, the gray is a Christmas present for someone else, and a green/black heather with a button detail down the back. Three decent brand cashmere sweaters for the price of one. Happy dance! I've only had them since last Friday and I've already worn everything more than once.  Well, not the one that's a gift, natch. 😉

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by MJC

[MJC]

I'm thinking of asking for these for Christmas... I just can't decide what color!

 

https://www.signals.com/?action=DETAIL&ITEM=HN8822&rrec=true

 

 

[Anita Latte]

Great clogs! I used to have a pair of clogs...but I didn't wear them as much as I thought I might because they were brown, which sounds odd...and you would think that I could wear them with so many more things because they were "neutral" but being the brown that they were, somehow they didn't go very well with so many things. They were "fun" and were a patchwork style so they were more interesting than boring, but something about the brown...

 

Now back in the day, I had a pair of red Dansko shoes. Not clogs and not the typical style...they were lace up oxfords...really chunky...

 

 

And I wore these OUT. The red went with EVERYTHING. It worked much better as a "neutral" for me than the brown did. 

 

I remember now...I had to get rid of the clogs because they made my foot go into charlie horse mode...the heel was at just the wrong angle.

 

Anyway...I also bought a pair of "sensible" brown Josef Sibel shoes at the same time as the red Danskos...because I figured that the red ones might have issues with "going" with my clothes and the brown would go better...but the fact is that I finally gave away those JS shoes because I never wore them. I always wore the red ones...and it could be the fact that if I like something a lot...I tend to think that it "goes" even when others may not think so.

 

So ME...if you want a fun shoe...based on what I know of your wardrobe...I would suggest the blue or the camel. The blue because you love blue... The camel because it is a complementary color for blue and would ultimately "go" better than the dark brown. 

 

I wish the red ones were a bit deeper in color. They seem a bit bright...

[laurspag]

It is so interesting to hear about all the things we each have going on.  We have similarities, we have differences.

 

Melody, we are getting to dangerous levels of COVID again.  While everyone mumbled about the restrictions, they worked so well.  When they started to lift them, people were good at first, but they got tired and that was the end of that.  Halloween seems to have been the big trigger here.  I'm planning a fun but small Thanksgiving with just us, so I am not worried about anyone additionally being exposed.  That is a good thing.

 

I realized that last year, after my kidney issues, I put off appointments that I figured I could make up this year.  With the pandemic, I was just getting things back on track.  I have three appointments coming up when I am on vacation: my eye exam, thyroid blood work and mammogram.  I will be all caught up, and hopefully, nothing will be cancelled.  

 

Anita, I find that I like things put away so I am thinking about how not only is your open style much different than my closed door pantry, but your style of home is so much different too.  I think it would be a fun challenge to figure out all you are doing.

 

I love clogs.  I always have a go to pair that I run into the ground, and then I get a new pair.  I just love them.  Margaret, I could see myself with all those colors, except black.  Red is a favorite color of mine, but that could be tricky with a shoe, since there are so many different shades of red.  Olive, brown, camel...one of each, please.  🙂  

 

This is my current pair I bought last year.  I've been contemplating the lighter color.

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/eastland-shoe-mae-womens-clogs?ID=8924587&lid=pdp_details

 

I am cold a lot, so my main winter attire while at home is fleece quarter zips.  I've worn a lot out, and I only have a few.  My husband was asking what I wanted for Christmas, so I think I know what to tell him now.  Eddie Bauer fleece is great but the color selection can be limited so I try to get as close to earth colors as I can. 

 

It's been very cold for a few days now, and it snowed a bit yesterday.  I hear it is warming back up soon.

 

You scored some great sweaters, Margaret!

 

[awhfy]

18 hours ago, MJC said:

I'm thinking of asking for these for Christmas... I just can't decide what color!

 

https://www.signals.com/?action=DETAIL&ITEM=HN8822&rrec=true

 

 

I love clogs I have red & teal

[awhfy]

The holiday will be different this year. Wherever & whomever you are with this year (in person or just in your heart) enjoy your holiday. Melody

[MJC]

Wishing everyone a lovely day tomorrow. I am thankful for your friendship. 🥰

 

[awhfy]

Feels fitting for this year. Hope everyone stays safe & well. Melody

[Lois R]

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Hope it is a safe one too.

[awhfy]

Today is our 51st wedding anniversary (55 years together). Glad we’ve been together in this pandemic. Melody

[awhfy]

Ok, the meeses are now safe 😉

[laurspag]

Hello, everyone!  I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving.  Ours was a great day. 

 

My vacation started Wednesday, but I was working quite a bit from home on Wednesday and Friday, as we had a few people who were exposed to COVID out of the office.  I still had plenty of time to myself too, but I was trying to make sure everything was taken care of.

 

Wednesday was about going to the grocery store, cooking food and baking pies.  Friday was more work from home as well as some online shopping and other things around the house.

 

Saturday, I was doing laundry but I also started the process of decorating.  I did everything but the trees.  The trees are always done as a family, complete with Christmas music, eggnog and cookies.  

 

For both Thanksgiving and decorating, my older daughter was also present.  Our grandson had Thanksgiving dinner with us, but wasn't at the house for decorating.  I have to say, both days were really wonderful.  We laughed a lot, and enjoyed our time together.

 

Today was paint the bathroom day.  I admit I didn't feel like it, but I had promised myself I would do it and I am glad I did.  I have a few small touchups to do, but the gray is nice.  The new towels are finally out of the laundry room and put away in the linen closet in addition to the ones that are hanging out.  While I knew we were choosing a very dark towel, I kept thinking the paint color was more of a mid-tone.  It is lighter, but I do like it because there are no windows so it brightens the room up.

 

And my fabric came in.  You may remember they sent me a piece that had been cut.  They had to wait for the new stock to come in, but they corrected their mistake so all is good.

 

I have an eye exam this afternoon, then two appointments on Wednesday.  I'm getting everything caught up!  In between all of this, I plan to start the work on the drapes, and do some reading and relaxing.  It seems weird because the house feels nicely decorated in some areas, and messy in others because of the projects.  I know it will all come together though.  We may just call and check on the chairs again, since it is the 30th and we haven't heard from him since mid-October.

 

I have had some glass ornaments over the years that seem to end up at the bottom of the box because the hangers fell off, or that piece at the top broke.  A few years ago, I decided to put them glass containers that I have.  It is a great way to decorate the kitchen and there is no cost because I am just using things I already have.

 

[awhfy]

Laurie, love the decorations. I also put the orphan ornaments in glass bowls/jars. Melody

[purduemom1]

Laurie, the view from the picture window is lovely. All that’s needed is some snow to complete the pretty scene with your Christmas tree.
Sharon

[Anita Latte]

Laurie...I could totally relate to your thoughts about painting your bathroom. You want it DONE but aren't necessarily too jazzed to actually DO it. Sounds like you had a nice Thanksgiving. Your decorations look wonderful...I agree with Sharon...such a wonderful view from your living room! Is that the window that you are making the new curtains for? LOVE your Father Christmas.

 

We purchased a new tree...don't know if I mentioned it. A blue spruce style tree..9' tall!! The common rooms in our house...the only living area, the kitchen and the flex room off to the side that will be the yoga room...are all mostly open concept under a cathedral ceiling that is 14' tall at the peak...and because of the way the rooms are with the roof line...the shortest ceiling in the living area portion are still 10' tall. The tree fits perfectly!!

 

I don't have nearly enough ornaments for that tree though. I still have the majority of my ornaments...I did thin them out to keep my faves with the last big downsizing move from GA to NC...but still...I've never had such a tall tree. It may be pretty sparse this year...I have to let that be and just think about if I want a "theme" for the new tree...the blue spruce coloring isn't typical but it looks wonderful with our interior colors and more importantly, DH and I love it.

 

Our Thanksgiving was pretty chill. DS called us and we were on the phone with him for almost 4 hours. We use the What's App to have the phone calls. I think he had headphones on but he was on speaker here and we literally were just acting like we were all in the room together hanging out. Talking about everything and nothing...even looking up stuff like the world's most violent sports game...which is some sport out of Italy that is a bit like soccer and boxing/street fighter...seriously...it's like some modern version of a group gladiator arena...and watching YouTube videos together...just a casual hang out session. It was ALMOST as good as when he would emerge from his computer room and hang out with us for a while and then bow out again to go see which of his friends were online. Really special.

 

That's one thing he has been doing with his friends for YEARS...he uses this application called Steam and he plays games with his friends through Steam while being connected on another program called Discord. They all talk through Discord while playing a game together. So I was thinking, why couldn't we do that? We picked a game and then I think it was Friday that we got all sorted on Discord so we could all talk that way while getting the computer towers set up (they hadn't been started in the new house yet) and updating and downloading the games and getting started there. So that's a plan we have for while he is on break...we can get together and play a game and talk while playing. 

 

His term finished the Friday after Thanksgiving but he has a couple assignments due later because of push backs from COVID. Nothing big though and so he gets a nice break now until the new year.

 

We finally hit a cool front down here...I'm wearing long sleeves and long pants for the first time this year... Craziness. Not a bad day for the hard labor we'll be doing today...

 

With the kitchen pantry remodel project...we had to remove the tile from the old reach in pantry. About 10 sq ft so not too big a deal...but then we had to cut into the laminate to make the floor available for securing the new framing to the concrete slab. So there's a big bare spot in the kitchen floor...and I've been searching for a new floor. I'm pretty sure we want a bamboo product for the family floor...and I'm just not a fan of wood flooring in the kitchen...so I've been looking at tile. Three samples later...we sorted which tile we wanted and ordered it. So...693 pounds of tile is being delivered today. Freight shipping and they say it will be delivered curbside. It's only 12 cartons...each with 7 tiles...so I'm imaging that the cartons are on a palette and that palette is all saran wrapped like you see in the big home improvement stores. We'll be lugging the load carton by carton into the house...and then we have 2 business days to inspect the shipment for hidden damage. Exciting stuff... 

[Anita Latte]

Happy belated anniversary Melody! Wonderful to see the big anniversary years! 

 

My inlaws are celebrating their 50th next year. They have reserved a place in Orlando already. DH has 3 sisters...everyone has kids. The hope is that everyone can get together for at least one day all together. Even DS is trying to come back for it. It's planned for June and he'll still be the middle of his last term but classes will be over and if he can get one meeting scheduled in an earliest available time then he should be good to finish that term virtually. We'll see. Not sure what the state of the world will be then but everyone's hopeful.

 

[laurspag]

One thing that works well with my husband and I is that when one of us doesn't feel up to something, the other steps in to give incentive.  Now that I have the gray done, I am looking forward to the white section being repainted and I already ordered some new storage bins, since we have some open shelving that we use.  It is nice to have everything nearby, but hidden at the same time.  

 

I was thinking how you like seeing what you have, and I like to hide it.  Lol.

 

Ignore the mess, since I didn't have everything put away yet.  The towels are a dark gray, but because of the way I took the picture, they look black.  I am going to find a rug that is lighter, since the dark slate gray rug isn't doing the trick for me.  There are a few interesting things in this picture.  On the bottom right is a very, very old chair that has been in my husband's family for years, and since he was born, it has been in the bathroom.  I was going to move it once, and my husband said "the magazine chair?  You want to move the magazine chair?"  And so it stayed.  Truthfully, it doesn't bother me.  The room looks weird without it.  

 

The other interesting thing is the canvas print on the wall.  zoom in, if you can.  It isn't a random photo, it is a print of the original O'Hara and Sons from many years ago that was owned by my husband's family.  The building is still there now, and houses a bank.  The section in the front is now gone.

 

 

I also wanted to show you the little table that was my mom's.  I didn't change the base, but I sanded the top and painted it gold, and the little handmade bowl I wanted came in.  The seller on Etsy was so much fun about this.  She sent me pictures as she was working on it.  The stick is from our trip to the Grand Canyon.  No doubt you can see how my husband and I have attachment to things.  I can let go much easier than him.  

[awhfy]

Laurie, love the bathroom colors!

 

Anita, we’ve done that tile by tile inspection, tons of fun!  

[laurspag]

I've installed tile a few times.  While you can't see too much of it in the bathroom picture, I did the whole room by myself.  and then with the mud room in the second picture, my husband and I did that together along with the kitchen.

 

We have often talked about how we wish we had hardwood in the kitchen.  I have debated because it seems like it would wear out easily.  We have carpet in the family room, and tile in the two bathrooms, kitchen, mudroom and laundry room.  The upstairs and downstairs halls, living room, dining room and three bedrooms are all hardwood.  We wear slippers in the house, but a kitchen gets a lot of wear and tear.

 

Well, we got a little bit of snow so that I can take another picture of the living room tree with a Christmasy background this time.  🙂   It is cold today.  The temperature says 34, but it is windy so the wind chill says 23.  Brrrr....

 

And we just had this boom that shook the house and set the dogs off in a frenzy.  I didn't hear it, but i felt it so I knew it was loud.  Turns out, it was a meteor entering the earth's atmosphere.  It was reported from Virginia to Michigan.

[Anita Latte]

WOW Laurie...that's crazy on the meteor!

 

Nice work on the tile. My Grandpa was a wood worker. He was an artist with wood as well as just being an all around amazing carpenter. He put wood flooring in all his homes...as I write this, I'm trying to remember if the last home he did before he passed had wood in the kitchen...but I don't think it did? Maybe it did though...it's been a long time since I've been there. It's just that I am aware of all the damage that liquids in general can do to wood. I had wood in a kitchen in KS and it was okay...it's nice how the floor is one continuous floor...and the wood floor was a bit nicer if you did drop something, having a bit more give to it than tile...but I prefer tile in a wet area.

 

I know our home would have a better flow if the kitchen were to be the same floor as the rest. Right now, except for the laundry room (small walk through from the garage), the small area in front of our room's shower with the toilet (the sinks are on the other side of a pocket door), and the secondary bathroom floor (all these are different tiles), the entire house is laminate floor. The ENTIRE house. My last home in Cypress was similar, tile in all the wet areas, engineered hardwood on the main floor and stair risers, laminate in the bedrooms...with the except of the powder room which had engineered hardwood. That was NOT good. Also, having the engineered hardwood at the entry wasn't awesome...I'm not sure how I'm going to reconcile that in this home...

 

We didn't get the tile today. On my last update, I actually went direct to the freight carrier to see what the deal was and it turns out that residential deliveries require an appointment, which makes sense to me actually...so I'm not too upset about it. I'll call tomorrow and hopefully set it up for Friday. 

 

Laurie...your bathroom looks really nice. IDK that I like having all my stuff on display everywhere...for me it's a matter of functionality. It's a mixed bag for me I guess...I don't have an aversion to open/closed nor a preference. For instance, if the closet doors are open...it makes me nuts. I want them closed. But I just use the pantry so often...the door is open anyway...and I don't mind seeing that particular stuff, especially if it's purposeful...so I'm okay with it.

 

We will be installing the tile ourselves. 18" on the diagonal. LOL. We purchased a sweet tile saw at Harbor Freight on a great deal...and I like to think that we are patient enough that we can do this well. We've laid tile before...countertops and backsplashes, but this will be our first floor.

 

I'm made a diagram of the kitchen on vellum paper...and made a "tile floor" paper...I can move the tile floor around to figure out the best installation. We only have the potential to have two very complicated cuts...but if I can lay the floor properly, I can reduce the worst cuts to an L-shaped cut and not a U-shaped cut...but that is something that I still have to sort.

 

Today I've been studying the installation of rounded corner bead. My home doesn't really have hallways? The only outside corners in my home are in this gathering room space. And with the wall that is only 8' tall separating the kitchen from the yoga room...there used to be wood trim on top of that wall but I don't want to replace that...with the wall being only drywall all around, I've decided that rounded corners will be very attractive...and it will help with some issues in the house where the corners have gotten banged up over the years. I can install the rounded corner bead directly over the old square corner bead. I've been mapping out what all I need to do that.

 

YouTube has been my friend today. I found some helpful videos. It took a while...lots of lame videos out there...

 

I'd love to see snow!!

[awhfy]

Les is my tile guru. We have the wet tile saw from Harbor Freight (aka the toy store). We had carpeting put in our family room. Les had put tile down in one bedroom & down the hallway. The guy putting the carpeting down asked Les why he didn’t have the tile guy do the carpeting. Les said, I did the tile, I don’t like doing carpeting. Carpet guy said, any time you want a job...  he does quality work. He also put porcelain tile over the raised hearth on our moss rock fireplace. I’ll have to get a picture. 
 

its 6 degrees here today, but no snow right now. Our middle granddaughter flies in tonight from CA, she’ll be at her Dad’s till the 18th. She’ll freeze coming from LA. Melody