Cleaning House.

I will be making a few changes around here in the next couple of weeks so my posts will be a bit sparse until then. My business is going to change somewhat in January 2012 and with that, the high quality content of this blog will be tweaked as well. Until then, enjoy viewing these wondrous homes while I toil away in the background.

WTF!?: Business Improvement Association

I'm feeling emotional today and I'm so desperate to document all of my deep, dark secrets that I just don't have time to go to a fancy store in the mall. Good thing there's Diary Mart, the super convenient diary shop.

I am always amazed at how many 'professional' sign making companies employ people who can't spell for shit. You see it so often. Just hire someone to proofread your bloody work! And hot lips clip art - upside down hot lips at that!? Sexxxy stuff!

Speaking of sexy...this restaurant owner needs to get over himself!

"Come in and 'seet ya bum down on Willy's lap."

Hrm...do you think it's a coincidence there's a massage clinic right upstairs from here?
Somehow I doubt you would ever hear, "Honey, want to take the kids out to Thai Kok for dinner tonight?" It's probably more like, "Table for one, sir?" all night long at this place.

Taking (A Tour Of) A Big Dump.

I don't know about you guys but I love shopping in shitholes. I'm not interested in a potpourri laced, doily covered gift shop, no no no! I don't want no Pottery Barn, I'd rather be perusin' me a mouse poop filled barn, thank you very much.

Where else can you find both antiques AND cold drinks? Nowhere, my friends.

 My mom and I discovered this place a few years back when it was owned my the nicest old man. He used to sit in here watching The Price is Right while we wandered around looking at everything. One time he even offered us a bacon and tomato sandwich made on an old, rusty frying pan on the top of his wood stove. We respectfully declined.

Well, sadly that man has died and it's been taken over by new, um, mismanagement! Yay! Nothing better than buying a business in a state like this.

I live for tow trucks full of junk in boxes!

And sheds full of barrels of, uh, moist objects (those green 50s kitchen chairs were in great shape - and cheap!)

I collect these Canadian versions of Rosti bowls so I was delighted to find this, for 50 cents, sitting there so beautifully merchandised.

50s lamp and shade for $20, yup, I'll take that.

Everything you could ever need...and more! Err...

A great sunroom addition, built to code I'm sure.

I'm sure if they just put in a dehumidifier and sprayed the place with Febreze, this problem would go away...

Seriously though, I love this place. In fact, I'm off to that area today and I might just have to stop in for a browse...and a cold drink. Frozen, dirty couch water might hit the spot quite nicely.

R.I.P. Miss Maggie Magiggles, My Beautiful Angel Girl

I am heartbroken to write that I had to say goodbye to my sweet Maggie Magiggles this morning. 

She died peacefully at home with me, Lee and her animal family by her side. 

I shared over 18 wonderful years with her.

She was the sweetest, most gentle girl you could ever hope for and she didn't have a mean bone in her body. She was always there for a serious snuggle every night and was fiercely loyal to me, choosing to pay almost no attention to any other human (although she was also very much in love with her somewhat abusive bad boy brother, Einar. When he died in April, she was never really the same).

She was so beautiful and her long, fluffy Farrah Fawcett locks often blew in the breeze when she lounged in the sun.

She was like a meditating Buddha cat most of the time. Just relaxing and taking it all in. 

This was her in the summer after I'd spent some time in the grass brushing her and rubbing her tummy while she sun bathed.

She was so cherished and will be missed terribly.
I love you Mookles.
Always.

There's the sun
Going down
Creating that fluorescent glow
Reminding me I'll never be able
To relive this day
Except in memory

A New Light.

I thought I'd give you an update on a few little changes around the house. I'm happy to report that after several agonizing months we finally finished painting our house. But, as clean and fresh as it now looks, the sad part is...it pretty much looks the same as it did before. Yup, instead of painting it battleship grey we decided to keep it the same color. If we had have changed the color it would have been even more work & money than it already was and we were just not willing to suffer through that much right now (trim work, cutting around all of the old windows with a new color, more coats of paint, etc). 

Anyway, it's clean and it's no longer peeling and blotchy with 2 different colors like it has been for the last 2 1/2 years. I also changed the front porch light from an industrial vapor light to an antique train/nautical light. I sprayed it black (of course) and I think it suits the place better than the old light that was there. We're sandwiched closely between a large lake and a railroad so...

The cage light I took down now has a new home in my upstairs bathroom.

It's like a protruding missile or penis shooting out of the wall but I like it there. Decent bathroom lighting is so hard to find, it's all so ugly and big box store looking. Compared to the tulip light horror show that was here before, this caged sucker is doing the job well. (I am debating on painting it white so it's a bit more subtle but I'm not sure yet. It could look better or it could look very 80s/lame). I also recently found this simple mirror at the thrift store for $6.

Now I just need want a new sink, faucet and counter top and things will be looking up...oh and a new shower stall and flooring. Ugh.