can we build it?

Since Don recently commenced post-grad studies in higher dorkage, the dining table and the couch were proving to be really not the optimal study environments, thus we were searching for a double desk. We figured we’d have to get a much smaller couch and live in squash-age until we could bear it no longer and had to move.

Then I came across the image below on apartment therapy and I knew the problems were solved!

I immediately emailed Don: maybe we need a long / shared desk in front of the window and should move everything else along toward the dining area (of course if would mean that we would still need a new couch)

Of course we could not do the replace the window-sill with an awesome (and spectacularly expensive) piece of gorgeous wood, but it was a great jumping off point for what we could do on a shoe-string budget!


Wood obtained


chopping

We decided that we would have to live with the couch sans chaise for a while, until we could find a spectacularly expensive replacement couch. But the more I looked at it (in the space of about 3 hours), the more repelled I became.


just. no.


for comparison: with chaise (10,006 times less stupid-looking)

But there was nowhere and no way that everything would fit and there was no way we were in any position to spend > $5K on a couch.

So I looked at the chaise, which had been relegated to the deck and I pondered. And I realised that, with sufficient cunning, I could probably attach the arm from the chaise to the couch section.


So many staples


Chaise arm

80-billion staples and four nuts and bolts later and ridiculous couch crisis averted! Truly – there are no madder skillz than mine!

Meanwhile, Don was getting on with the desk …


Pretty stellar for just rocking up to the hardware store with just measurements and no plans! Admittedly, we did have to visit the next day to acquire some additional supplies – but by golly! This is the Best Desk Ever!

Artwork has been rearranged and deskal storage and other essentials acquired:

And we’re just waiting on the delivery of the marvellous desk chairs before the final reveal!

It has been a quite fun project where we have once again proved that we are more brilliant than I could ever describe and I just adore my view (which I’ll share when there is less glare from the window).

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view from a couch

There’s been quite a good deal of activity going on about the haus of late – rather like a claytons renovation1. We’ve been building and reconstructing and mixing it all up, but that is for another, longer, post (which may be posted later this evening).

It should come as no surprise that I am off to hospital on Thursday for (as our lovely Comms Manager refers to it) secret women’s business. There will be mucho recovery time involved, so we’ve re-purposed the claytons renovations cast-offs into a little recovery nest.


recovery couch


view from recovery couch (fairly sure the kitchen rug will not be draped over the chairs when I’ll be laying about).


books to enjoy on recovery couch

I could have chosen Improving Books, but in the end we all know that mystery/crime makes everything better! I raided the local library and came up with some options I knew would work (the Kathy Reichs – thanks Mom!) and then, by golly(!), who knew there were craft-genre mystery/crime series?!?!

Am now armed with a knitting mystery/crime novel, a candle-making mystery/crime novel and am disappointed that I do not have the scrap-booking mystery/crime novel I thought I had added to the borrowing pile.

Oh! And a Clive – for he is totally my main man.

Hopefully the fabulous, sparkly weather will hold out and I’ll not be confined to the indoors!

1The renovation you have when you’re not having a renovation.

let’s get lost along the way

I’m so slow on the uptake that before I bandwagon-jumped, www.delicio.us had become delicious.com and is owned by yahoo!.

Really, though, for all those years, until we started the whole obsessive cooking thing, I really couldn’t see any need for shared bookmarks.

But now? Yes! Is fabulo.us!

Fabulo.us for impromptu shopping (when a meal is not on The List)! Fabulo.us for the kitchen computer! Fabulo.us for the iPhones. Fabulo.us for sharing between the other multitude of computers we own.

Currently, is very much a work in progress (and the faves are still printed out for The Folder), but a starting point. At this stage everything is mostly WCOIC recipes, and some others that are as yet untried – they really do need to be tagged (perhaps a convalescence project).

But, in the interim, enjoy the preliminary donandcarol cookering bookmarks.

Plus Dragnet(!) – which I’m totally watching in my convalescence … if only I could find Going to California.

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the list

Preparation (in no particular order)

  • Re-Read “prep for hospital” list
  • Pay Serge
  • Pay assistant Serge
  • Pay hospital
  • Fill Mirena prescription
  • Purchase cute pyjamas and fluffy slippers
  • Obtain large stack of wonderful/interesting/ghastly books
  • Purchase Season 5 of Murder She Wrote
  • Deep clean bathroom
  • Ensure line-dried clean sheets on bed from 010910
  • Ensure steady supply of fave snacks
  • Consume last meal (Dumplings!!) with Heather and not-Heather
  • Purchase and consume Fleet
  • Purchase and wrap Aunt’s birthday present (Don to send)
  • Complete all analysis for Annual Report
  • Plan meals for 2 weeks
  • Attend to eyebrows
  • Attend to hair
  • Attend to fingernails
  • Attend to toenails
  • Mentally compose the multitude of overdue posts
  • Organise/Process $2M quarterly payment for Most Important Client

Am sure there will be more to add – and, thankfully, only a week to go!

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as my husband says, i’m having some health issues

Cold all better.

Then afflicted with horrid, itchy cold sore.

Now, this afternoon, Serge leaves me a telephone message that my iron levels are half what they should be and I should take iron.

But I am taking iron.

The iron levels explain why I’m experiencing most of the symptoms of anemia listed below and why my brain no work so good at the moment (and why it is difficult to construct any sort of coherent post – particularly one about our fabulous weekend furniture construction and another one about the machinations at the SaltMinesLimited).

As the condition becomes severe, increased cardiac stress may cause tachycardia, shortness of breath, and headaches. Leg cramps, dizziness, fatigue, and insomnia are common as anemia progresses, and are secondary to tissue hypoxia. Pallor is usually an effect of dermal vasoconstriction and blood redistribution. Moreover, in extreme situations, anemia may lead to coma and death. (from here)


Serge did say that if it was any consolation my iron levels confirmed that The Operation is a Very Good Idea.

I’m actually Very Much looking forward to The Operation. I want this whole thing OVER so I can stop walking about in a fog of ill-health and intellectual stupor.

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trad

We have a delightful new favourite saying here in the Donandcarol haus, which was inspired by:

from here

“Like boat shoe soles on a moccasin, This Is A Travesty!”

And variations of same:

“You think that’s a travesty, it doesn’t even compare to boat shoe soles on a moccasin”.

“That’s so very boat-shoe-soles-on-a-moccasin”.

“Boat Shoe Soles On A Moccasin (Batman)!”

Or the reductionist, “BSSOAM!”

The humanity!

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≤$6 ≤6 words: not clive

While it has been a very long time between posts on this project, I haven’t given it up entirely. Rather, I was enormously sidetracked by Book 9 (and brethren), which needs a very very long post of its own with far many more than 6 words.

But back on track:

Book 10: Christopher Byron: Martha Inc
Cost: $6 (St Vinnies)
Sadly, ain’t no Just Desserts

Book 11: Kate Eliis: The Shining Skull
Cost: $1.50 (St Vinnies – half price day)
Too much complex plottery spoils broth

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fabulous genes

We all know Joan is absolutely stunning, but behold my other utterly gorgeous offspring:

Would that I was responsible for the genes for those eyebrows!

A fun, albeit ABSOLUTELY FREEZING, day out with the babies to see Swans v Hawthorn. Finally, after all these years, we found the ne plus ultra of seats! Unfortunately, it means we’ll need to arrive about 3 hours before game time to secure them.

During the game, we suddenly realised that the last Swans home game of the year was on election night.

Nuts!

Now we face the difficult choice of forgoing the traditional family wine and cheese intimate election gathering v last Swans game of the year – which is interestingly v Western Bulldogs. Those who are interested in such things would be aware that 1. WB are the PM’s team, and 2. the Odious Barry Hall now plays for WB and (I think) it will be the first game in opposition at the SCG.

The Humanity!

It almost makes one want to obtain some form of wireless modem and take a laptop to the game. Fairly confident that they’d not let us bring the requisite bottle of wine though.

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